Pokemon Alliance
by Homomatic
Summary: The Alliance Games: Teams of 3 compete by beating each other and collecting medals that will earn them a spot in the Alliance Tournament. Topher, Allison, and Dino are one of those teams. But can the three trainers become masters while fighting off the mysterious Hallowed Church and a movement that threatens their companions? DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1: Topher vs The Laverre Gym!

**_A/N: This is the third and final rewrite of my story Pokemon Alliance. It also heavily intersects with my other story Pokemon Prodigies, but reading both is not necessarily required_** ** _._**

* * *

The greatest day of Topher's life was the day he experienced his first real loss.

It happened when Topher had just turned thirteen. He had left his hometown of Lumoise a mere three days ago, and had just arrived in Laverre City. Topher intended on taking down the Gym Leader, a mysterious girl named Valerie.

 _I better hurry and beat her._ Topher thought. _I need to leave within the hour if I'm going to get to the next town by tomorrow morning._

Topher approached the gym. It was rather breathtaking. The gym was built into a giant oak tree, one that was far wider than any oak tree Topher had ever seen. The gym seemed to be the inside of the oak tree and the building behind it.

Topher stopped staring and pushed open the door.

Inside, the walls were pink, as was the floor, which had a battlefield painted on it.

Topher saw a boy sitting on one side of the battlefield. He had messy cherry red hair and pale cream colored skin. The boy wore a red poncho over skinny jeans. The jeans were odd; one leg was orange, the other was red. He also had a scarlett ribbon tied around his forhead.

"You must be a challenger!" he yelled, running up to Topher.

He grabbed Topher's hand in both of his and shook it so hard Topher felt genuinely afraid it would be pulled off.

"I'm Dino!" he said with a smile. Topher noted that his eyes were a light shade of brown. "I'll be your first challenger!"

"I'm Topher." Topher said. "You're sure you're my opponent?"

"Of course, silly!" Dino laughed. "Why else would I be here?"

Topher shrugged. He had a point, but still... It was hard to believe that someone as childish as him worked for a gym.

Then something dawned on Topher. "Wait... Your name is Deino? Like the Pokemon?"

He shook his head. "No. D-I-N-O. Dino."

"Oh." Topher said. "Well, let's get started then."

Dino nodded and clapped his hands together. "Okay! Eager, aren't we? Cool. I'll go get Allison."

"No need. I'm here."

Topher turned around. A blonde girl walked in the room.

"This is Allison!" Dino said. "She works here too."

"I think he figured that out, dummy." Allison said with a roll of her eyes.

Allison put her hands on her hips and inspected Topher with a piercing glare. Topher did the same.

Allison was taller than Topher and Dino, though not by much. She wore a pink sweater that hung off of her, exposing her pale shoulder. Her blue jeans were tight like Dino's, and were fashionably ripped right above her left knee.

 _She looks like a fighter._ Topher thought. _I can believe she's a gym trainer._

Dino walked to the front end of the battlefield and pulled out a pokeball. Topher took his place on the other end of the field and copied him.

"This will be a one-on-one battle, League rules, no substitutions or items." Allison announced. She was acting as the official referee. "First move goes to lowest level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

Topher threw his pokeball. "Bergmite, let's go!"

Bergmite appeared in a flash of light. Made entirely of ice, Bergmite resembled a stalamite with yellow eyes and a white bottom.

Dino threw his pokeball. A small red pokemon with a yellow beak appeared.

"Magby!" it yelled happily.

"That's not a Fairy Type." Topher frowned.

Dino grinned in contrast. "Senior Valerie let's us choose a type to specialize in. Mine is the Fire Type, and Allison specializes in Psychic Pokemon. Do you specialize?"

Topher shook his head and brought out his Pokedex.

" _Magby, The Live Coal Pokemon."_ It said. " _Its magma-like blood circulates throughout its body. Its body's heat can top 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Magby's state of health is determined by observing the fire it breathes. If the Pokémon is spouting yellow flames from its mouth, it is in good health. When it is fatigued, black smoke will be mixed in with the flames. This Magby is Male. Level 13. Moves Known: Smokescreen, Ember, Leer, and Smog. Ability: Flame Body."_

The Pokedex displayed Magby's stats.

 _His speed is his best stat._ Topher thought. _I'll have to watch out for that. He has poor defense and special defense. All I have to do is land a few hits. But with his speed, that'll be hard._

Dino smiled. "That's a thoughtful look you got there." he said. "Can I scan your Pokemon too? All I know about it is that it's a cutie."

Topher shrugged. "Just hurry up."

Allison frowned. "Don't rush him. He can take the time he wants."

Dino brought out his Pokedex and scanned Bergmite. Even from far away, Topher could hear the device.

" _Bergmite, The Ice Chunk Pokemon."_ it said. "  
 _It_ _blocks opponents' attacks with the ice that shields its body. It uses cold air to repair any cracks with new ice. Using air of -150 degrees Fahrenheit, they freeze opponents solid. They live in herds above the snow line on mountains_. _This Bergmite is Male. Level 17. Moves Known: Icy Wind, Powder Snow, Take Down, and Harden. Ability: Own Tempo."_

Dino shut his Pokedex and grinned. "You're going down, Topher!"

Topher didn't respond. "Get ready, Bergmite." he said. "I'm not losing to a novice like him."

Allison looked back and forth between the determined boys. "Begin!" she yelled.

"Smokescreen!" Dino yelled.

Magby ran towards Bergmite and began to run swiftly in a circle, spewing smoke as he ran. The smoke surrounded Bergmite and seemed to form a cloud around him.

Topher smirked. "Smokescreen? That's easy. Bergmite, Icy Wind!"

The smoke was blown away by a gust of wind and snow. The smoke cleared.

"Darn!" Dino snapped his fingers. "I was hoping that would work. Oh well. Magby, Leer!"

Magby's eyes began to glow and he started to glower at Bergmite.

"Counter it with Harden!" Topher yelled.

Bergmite began to glow. His body turned the color of steel.

"Wow." Dino clapped. "You're good. But I'm not giving up just yet! Ember, Magby!"

Magby jumped into the air and took aim at Bergmite. It shot tiny balls of fire like bullets at Bergmite.

"Powder Snow!" Topher yelled.

Bergmite shot small balls of ice back, and each collided with a ball of fire and exploded.

"Aw!" Dino stomped his foot. "Stop countering my attacks!"

"You can do it Dino!" Allison cheered. "Crush him!"

Topher sweatdropped. "Aren't you supposed to be impartial, as the referee?"

Allison ignored him.

"Icy Wind!" Topher yelled.

Bergmite shot a gust of wind and snow from his mouth at Magby.

"Dodge!" Dino yelled.

Magby jumped into the air as the wind hit the wall behind him. He landed with a smirk.

 _He's too fast to hit._ Topher thought. _I've gotta keep him in one place._

"Bergmite!" Topher yelled. "Powder Snow! Spin!"

"Dodge!" Dino yelled. Magby dodged the balls of ice, but they weren't meant for him. They hit the ground and froze the battlefield.

Magby landed again, then slipped on the frozen ground.

"Now, Take Down!" Topher yelled.

Bergmite slid across the ice, ramming into Magby. And knocking him into the air.

Magby fell in an arc onto the icy field.

Dino ran to his Pokemon, slipping in the process.

"Aren't you supposed to wait for the referee to call the battle before you-"

"Magby!" Dino cradled him in his arms. "Return. You did great." Dino returned Magby to his Pokeball.

"No he didn't." Topher said. "You both did horribly."

"Hey!" Allison approached Topher. "Take that back, you jerk! Or I'll make you."

Topher glared at her. "No. Just battle me so I can beat you and move on."

"Fine!" Allison retorted hotly. "I will!"

Allison took her place on the battlefield.

"This will be a one-on-one battle," Dino said. "League rules, no items or substitutions. First move goes to the lowest level Pokemon. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

Allison threw a pokeball. "Go, Gothita!"

A black and white Pokemon with bows on it's head appeared.

"Goth!" it yelled.

Topher brought out his Pokedex.

" _Gothorita, The Fixation Pokemon. Their ribbonlike feelers increase their psychic power. They are always staring at something. They intently observe both Trainers and Pokémon. Apparently, they are looking at something only Gothita can see._ _This Gothita is Female. Level 16. Moves Known: Psybeam, Confusion, Fake Tears, and Tickle. Ability: Hustle."_

 _Her special defense is so high, it'd be better for me to use Attack moves like Take Down. But Icy Wind could still be useful for freezing her..._

"Are both of you ready?" Dino asked. They both nodded. "Then... Begin!"

""Psybeam!" Allison yelled.

"Dodge, then Take Down!" Topher commanded.

Gothita shot a beam of pink energy at Bergmite, who jumped to the left to dodge it, then surged forward and rammed into Gothita.

"Goth!" she yelled in pain.

Gothita started to cry- loudly, with a lot of flailing and screaming. Dino covered his ears.

"Bergmite, don't fall for it!" He cried. But it was too late. Bergmite had already hesitated, and could not move in time. Gothita attacked. Her confusion hit it, throwing Bergmite across the field.

"Bergmite, get up!" Topher commanded. He did, albeit slowly.

"Berg..." Bergmite groaned.

"Shake it off." Topher said. "Icy Wind!"

Bergmite blew a gust of sleet and air at Gothita. Gothita jumped to the side and retailated with a Psybeam, which Beegmite ducked to avoid.

"Tickle!" Allison commanded.

Gothita rushed toward Bergmite.

Topher waited until the very last second. "Bergmite, Powder Snow!"

Bergmite shot small balls of snow at Gothita, who was too close to dodge. Where each snowball hit, it froze. Soon, Gothita was encased in ice.

Allison cursed, and Topher smirked.

"Now, use Take Down!" Topher commanded.

Bergmite rammed into Gothita and flung her frozen body backwards. She flew into the wall of the gym and her ice cracked.

Gothita stumbled forward, then collapsed.

"Gothita is unable to battle!" Dino declared. "The winner is Topher!"

Allison pressed the button on Gothita's pokeball. A red beam shot from the ball and hit her. She disappeared.

"You did well." Allison said. "Next time, we'll get him."

Topher rolled his eyes. "They're wont be a next time. Now take me to the Gym Leader."

"No need. I saw everything."

Topher looked at the door. A girl in a pink and yellow furisode walked in. She had beady black eyes to match her black hair and appeared to have wings sprouting from the sides of her ears.

"Senior Valerie!" Dino and Allison cried. They bowed to her.

"You're my opponent." Topher said. "I hope you're more fun then these two. They were easy."

"Hey!" Allison cried indignantly.

"True." Dino said, rubbing the back of his head earnestly.

Valerie tilted her head. "Rather confident, aren't you? And very rude."

"Rude?"

Valerie inspected him. "I was watching. You haven't thanked your Pokemon once. And when he was hurt, you did not ask him if he was alright. You just told him to get up."

"He doesn't need coddling." Topher said. For some reason, that rubbed him the wrong way. "And I'll thank him when I win."

Valerie's gaze became more intent. "When both of you win."

"Huh?"

"Pokemon Battles are a team effort." Valerie said. "You'd be nothing without your Pokemon. As trainers, we must remember that."

Topher rolled his eyes. "Are you going to fight me, of give me a sermon?"

Valerie smiled. "Why not both?"

She pulled out a pokeball.

"The Gym Battle between Gym Leader Valerie and Challenger Topher will not commence." Allison said. "This will be a one-on-one battle, Gym rules, no Items or substitutions. First move goes to the challenger. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

Valerie threw her pokeball. "Sylveon, please assist me!"

Sylveon appeared, and smiled at Bermite.

"And, begin!"

"Icy Wind!" Topher called.

Bergmite shot a Icy Wind attack at Sylveon.

"Fairy Wind!"

The two attacks collided, canceling each other out.

"Damn it!" Topher cursed.

Valerie grinned sleepily. "Not so confident now, are we?"

Topher glared at her. "It doesn't matter. I'm going to win this!"

"Then how about we make this interesting." Valerie said. "If you win, all do whatever you want. If I win, you'll be my newest apprentice."

"Deal." Topher said. "And when I win, you'll bow to me like your apprentices do to you."

Then Valerie surprised him by laughing.

"Misty Terrain!" Valerie yelled.

A glowing blue fog began to form. Soon, Topher could not see either Pokemon or Valerie.

 _No..._

"Use Moonblast!" Topher heard Valerie yell.

"No!" Topher screamed.

Topher heard Bergmite scream and he came flying out of the fog.

Topher caught him and cradled him in his arms. He fell to his knees.

How had he lost in one hit?

The fog dissipated, and Valerie approached Topher.

She bowed to speak to him. "I want you to be up by six tomorrow. I will give you your tasks then. Allison and Dino will show you to your room."

She walked past Topher, who had no response.

* * *

That was three years ago.

Now, Topher was lying in bed, waiting for his alarm to go off so he could start the day.

 _I really was a little shit back then._ Topher thought.

His alarm finally started to beep, so Topher slid out of bed.

Five minutes later he was dressed and staring in the mirror critically.

His ice blue hair was a mess, as always. Topher liked it that way.

Today, he wore a thin black sweater with thin purple stripes going down it, and black skinny jeans with a chain attached, and combat boots. His sweater hung off his wry frame and the sleeves hung over his hands. Topher had cut a hole in them sohis thumb could peak out.

Topher could just hear Allison calling him emo when she saw his outfit. She did every morning.

But today was just any morning. It was the morning of the start of their Journey, the day they entered the Alliance League.

"Topher!" Valerie called from downstairs. "Breakfast is ready!"

Topher took one last look at himself, grabbed his black beanie from his dresser and put it on, then went down stairs to meet his friends.

* * *

 ** _A/N 2: What is the Alliance League? Find out next week!_**

 ** _Reader question time! What Pokemon should Topher, Allison, and Dino catch? Tell me in your review!_**

 ** _AN 3: If you want to submit an oc, just comment in your review. I need a detailed physical description, name, personality, and two pokemon they own (both will probably not be used. It's just in case)._**


	2. Chapter 2: Enter Team Laverre!

Topher descended the stairs of the top floor. The building was two stories, built into the giant oak.

"Morning Topher!" Dino greeted him.

"Morning." Topher muttered, sitting between Allison and Dino.

"You're not eating?" Allison asked.

Topher just shrugged. He felt too nervous to eat, though he'd never admit it.

Allison saw through him easily. "Topher, relax. Today's our day. The day we've been talking about for the past few years."

Topher couldn't help but smile at that. It took Topher awhile to warm up to Allison and Dino, but once he did, going on a journey was all they talked about.

Topher, of course, had already started his journey. He had left home three years ago to beat the Kalos League. His mom was so surprised when he called not even a week later, saying he was now going to stay with The Laverre Gym and be a Gym Trainer.

Being a Gym Trainer was different from what Topher had expected. The Pokemon had to stay at the lower levels so New Trainers would be able to battle the Gym Trainers fairly.

So instead of training your Pokemon, you trained yourself. You memorized every Pokemon move and Ability and how they work. You learn how each type effects each other until you had it committed to memory.

But most of all, you learned about the Pokemon themselves. How to take care of them, how to play with them, how to connect with them.

Being a Gym Trainer meant learning that your Pokemon wasn't an object- it was a living creature. And being a living creature meant it was an complex being full of emotions and ideas.

Pokemon aren't tools. They're your partners.

"Topher? You there?" Allison asked. She pinched him on the arm.

"Ow!" Topher swatted her hand away. "What?"

"You were lost in thought again." Allison explained. "So I thought I'd come and find you."

Dino laughed.

That was another part of being a Gym Trainer that Topher had to adjust to. Allison and Dino.

Getting along with them was difficult at first. It still was. The three of them had clashing personalities. Dino was kind when Allison was harsh. Topher was quiet when Dino was loud. And Allison was rash when Topher was contemplative. They're conflicting attitudes caused friction, which led to arguments that led to the three of them being punished by Valerie.

But, after three years, Topher couldn't imagine life without them.

"I'm fine." Topher said.

Dino nodded. "We can't really blame you for being lost in thought, can we? Their's a lot to think about. We're starting our Journey today!"

"Thanks For reminding ud." Allison said. "We forgot."

"Is that sarcasm?" Dino said. "That's another coin in the Snark Jar."

The "Snark Jar" was a like a swear jar, but instead for sarcastic retorts. Valerie had set it up to help curb Allison's biting remarks. Needless to say, it was full most of the time.

"I'm not putting shit in that jar." Allison snapped. "If you didn't say so many stupid things, I wouldn't have to correct you."

Topher sighed. He could feel an argument coming. "Knock it off you two."

Allison gave him a look. "Who died and made you our Senior?"

"I am the oldest." Topher said.

"By a _month_." Dino pointed out.

It all spiraled out of control after that.

By the time Valerie had arrived at the breakfast table, Allison had Dino in a headlock while Topher tried to pry them apart, to no avail.

"Sylveon, Psychic!" Valerie said.

All three of them were thrown apart in an instant. Sylveon levitated them for a few seconds, then dropped them. Topher landed on his back, Allison on her butt, and Dino face first.

Valerie smiled warmly at them, as if they hadn't just destroyed her dining room (again).

"Good morning, my little Sprites." Valerie said cheerfully. "Please clean this up. Unless you would rather see another Psychic Attack?"

Topher, Allison, and Dino all got to their feet and bowed. "No thank you, Senior Valerie." they all said at once. They then rushed to clean up.

* * *

Three things that Gale desired more than anything: Competent co-workers, The complete Happiny Daze series box set, and jeans that not only gave others the illusion that she had a butt, but also hugged that nonexistent butt perfectly.

Three things that were hard to find: Competent co-workers, The complete Happiny Daze series box set, and jeans that not only gave others the illusion that she had a butt, but also hugged that nonexistent butt perfectly.

"Joseph is where!?" Gale asked angrily. She wished she were not Head Priest, because she really wanted to flip a desk but had to stay civilized due to her position.

"In custody. And he told the girl, who in turn told the police, that he was a Bishop in the Hallowed church." Arthur told Gale. The man ran his fingers through his hair, making it even messier. "I knew sending him was a bad idea."

Andreas glared at him. The two were polar oppisites in looks and personality- Andreas was pale and stocky with vibrant copper colored hair, while Arthur was dark skinned and lanky with silvery blue hair. Arthur was calm and careless, while Andreas was uptight and careful. "And yet, you said nothing. I knew he was an incompetent fool and actually argued against sending him. What were you doing?"

Arthur put his arm around Andreas lazily. "Wishing that you would stop scowling so I could kiss you."

Andreas blushed and pushed Arthur to the ground. Gale wondered why. Arthur flirted with everyone. "I am _so_ not interested."

Arthur wiggled his eyebrows. "That's what makes it fun." Gale once again considered flipping the desk. She was the boss - didn't that earn her the right to be uncivilized every once in a while? "Will you two please act like professionals?"

Arthur got back in his seat, but sat in it sideways so his elbow was hanging off and his foot was close to Andreas' face. "Sorry sexy. I'm not that good of an actor."

Gale narrowed her eyes at her subordinate. "That narrows the jobs available when I fire you."

Andreas smiled gloatingly and Arthur winced. "Wow, attacks fired, point taken."

Gale sighed. "Okay, so Joseph is grossly incompetent. How do you two think we should proceed? Leave him or free him?"

"Leave him." Andreas said automatically. "Not only has he failed his mission, he's implicated the Church and brought suspicion down on us. Let him rot."

Arthur nodded. "Seconded. Joseph deserves to be punished."

"But only I get to punish Joey."

Gale looked at the doorway and internally cursed. Gale had been hoping that she wouldn't show up.

Masa approached Gale's desk with a small smile. Today she had decided to wear a small white dress with a girlish yellow sash around her waist and yellow bow in her cornsilk blond hair. This made the sixteen year old look even more like a little girl than usual.

"Joey is my Bishop. Isn't it my job to decide his punishment?" Masa smiled toothily, exposing the alternating blue and gold bands of her braces. Gale could tell that Masa was already dreaming up all the ways she could punish "Joey".

"I say we give him another chance." Masa said. "If he can purify ten trainers within this next week, we let him off the hook. But if he fails by a margin of even one trainer, I gut him with a hook." She giggled at her pun. "I've already told him, of course. He's looking for trainers now."

If Gale were a merciful woman, she would of told the girl no. She would of let Masa know that screw ups of this magnitude were up to the Head Priest, not a Bishop. She would of ordered the three of them to leave Joseph to her.

If Gale were a merciful woman, she would of felt sorry for Joseph when she told Masa to do as she pleased.

But even if Gale was patient, she was not merciful.

* * *

After the three of them had cleaned up, they joined Valerie at the Pokemon Center a block away from the Gym.

They got in line at the front desk.

"You're sure this is where we register for the Alliance League, Senior?" Topher asked.

Valerie nodded. "Yes. Oh, I'm so excited! You three are becoming adults today!"

Dino grinned. "Yeah! Now we have to do adult things, like file taxes and throw bricks at children on out lawn!"

Topher sweatdropped. "What kind of adults do you know?"

Dino just laughed.

"When do you think we'll be able to fight our first Team?" Allison wondered. "I'm ready to crush some opponents."

"Me too!" Dino said eagerly. "We're gonna have so much fun traveling and winning matches and making new friends and discovering new places and- Ow!"

Allison had elbowed him.

"Allison, apologize." Valerie said airily.

"Sorry." she said. "I just wanted to make sure you stopped to breathe."

"How considerate." Topher muttered, scanning the Center.

His eyes met someone else's. The man had been staring at them intently. He held Topher's gaze for a while.

"Topher? Hello?"

Topher looked up at his friends. "Huh?"

"I said, we're up next." Allison said.

Topher looked around. The man was gone.

They approached the counter.

"We're here to register Team Laverre for the Alliance League." Valerie said.

"Of course, Gym Leader Valerie!" Nurse Joy said. "I just need your forms-"

"We sent them online!" Dino said happily, as if it were something to be excited about.

"Oh, yes. Of course." Nurse Joy said. She turned to her computer and typed something. "Here they are. I'll just submit them under Team Laverre."

"Thank you." Valerie said.

"And of course, I'll need to read you the rules." Nurse Joy said.

"We know them already." Allison said.

"But this is protocol." Nurse Joy said. She cleared her throat.

"The Alliance Games are the Sixth Championship League created by the League Committee, after The Pokemon League, Contests, The Tripokalon, Pokeathalon, and Battle Frontier. Championship Leagues are created to determine the top Trainers for each region, and to bestow upon them the title of Champion. The rules for this competition are as follows: Each Team will be administered five medals. The object is to win ten more medals by beating Ten other Teams. The loser of each battle must give the winning Team a medal. The first Sixteen Teams to collect fifteen medals will advance to the Alliance Championship, where they will compete for the Title of Champion. Each battle must be conducted in the presence of a elected official and must follow the rules outlined in the latest Alliance Handbook."

Topher hung onto every word, even though he already knew all of this.

Beating The Alliance Games had been Topher, Allison, and Dino's dream ever since it was created last year. They would be representing Laverre City in the Games. Not every city was represented by a Team, and not every Team represented a city, but it was an honor to be chosen.

Not that they had to worry about being chosen. Laverre City was just big enough to be able to submit a Team for the Games, but small enough that they didn't have that many talented trainers.

Nurse Joy handed Topher a pouch.

"This will be your medal pouch. The Symbol of Team Laverre, as decided by The Alliance Games branch of the League Committee, is a tree."

Topher took out a medal. It was the size and shape of a coin, and had a tree imprinted on both sides. The metal was the same color as the autumnal leaves on the tree connected to Laverre Gym.

Topher looked at his friends. They were both smiling.

This was it, the moment they had been waiting for.

"Congratulations!" Valerie said. "You three are now an official Team in the Alliance League!"

* * *

 ** _A/N: Who are those mysterious people and what does it mean to purify a trainer? Read to find out!_**

 ** _(If you've read my other story, you already know.)_**

 ** _A/N 2: Reader Question Time! Who's your favorite character so far? Answer in your comments/reviews!_**


	3. Chapter 3: The Start of a Journey

Valerie escorted them to Route 14, which led to Lumoise City, their next destination.

"Now listen," Valerie said. "Lumoise City is huge, so please be safe. Stay together, and stay away from strangers. That means you, Dino."

Dino laughed. "No problem."

"You don't have to worry about us." Allison insisted. "We're sixteen. We can take care of ourselves."

Valerie laughed. Topher had to admit, he loved that laugh. It was like bells chiming.

"I know." she said sadly. "But you three are my little sprites. I can't help but worry."

"We appreciate it all the same." Dino said earnestly. Despite his ditziness, he always knew the right thing to say.

Valerie looked like she was about to tear up. "Thank you, Dino. And you too, Allison and Topher. I'm so proud to call you three my apprentices."

Topher looked down at his shoes. He _hated_ this kind of stuff. Topher never knew how to respond to affection or caring, and their was always a feeling that he was doing something wrong. Plus, affection always ended with-

"Group hug!" Dino yelled, pulling Allison and Topher into an embrace around Valerie.

Touching. Topher despised touching other people. The hug alone made his skin crawl.

But Topher looked up and saw that Valerie had her eyes closed and had her signature sleepy half-smile on, and he felt better.

When they broke apart, Valerie was still smiling.

"Goodbye, my little sprites." she said.

* * *

Topher didn't understand why he enjoyed being with Allison and Dino, but walking along Route 14 reminded him of how _much_ he loved being with them.

"Gah, are we almost there?" Allison moaned."My feet are killing me." Gothita stirred in her arms.

"Not fast enough." Topher muttered.

Allison smacked him and Dino, who was yards ahead of them, laughed.

"Ow. jerk." Topher rubbed the back of his head. "It's not my fault you're wearing pumps on a five hour walk. How is that even possible?"

Allison smiled."Heroic resolve," She said smugly. "And magic." Was this why? Because he liked trading insults with the two?

It's not that Topher didn't want to be their friends. He loved them with everything he had. But as they left Laverre, the one riddle Topher that would always plague him came back. Why did they care about him? How does caring about one another work?

Those kind of things bugged Topher. Why did people care about one another? What was the point?

Topher opened his mouth to respond, but was promptly silenced by a loud voice screaming. " Chaaarge!"

Topher and Allison knew Dino well enough to know to move when he came barreling into them on the back of his Numel. Numel skidded to a  
halt, launching Dino into the air.

Topher and Allison yelled Dino's name as he flew. They rushed to his side. He was laying awkwardly in the grass, his rear sticking up. Topher smiled. He looked like a Scatterbug. Magby laid beside him.

Maybe this is why. He liked their spontaneity, an area he lacked in.

"You guys are good," Dino said. He didn't seem to be in a daze at all- on the contrary, the boy seemed excited. "Nice reaction time." Numel, trotted up to him and licked his face.

"What do you think you're doing?" Allison demanded. She helped him up- a generous way of saying Allison yanked a perfectly willing Dino to  
his feet- then hit him on the back of his head. Numel made a noise of protest ("Nume!"), and Magby laughed.

"Okay, first off, ow." Dino rubbed the spot, messing up his Cherubi red hair. Topher had an odd urge to fix it. But that was pointless- Dino's hair was always unkempt. "And second: I'm training you guys."

Topher raised an eyebrow at him."Training us?" he picked up his Bergmite , which made a sound of annoyance. Bergmite had been in Topher's arms when Dino had charged them.

Topher studied it for injuries. None. It looked the same as always: small, with a head that appeared to be made of ice, a white bottom and legs of the same color. His head came to a jagged point just below Topher's shoulder. He had one horn sticking out of his back and one on his forehead, above his violet-rimmed yellow eyes. His eyes were connected by what appeared to be a crack in his ice, but was actually his mouth. "What are you babbling on about now?"

"We have to be quick and our reflexes need to be sharp!" Dino cried, waving his arms. Topher moved so he didn't get hit."We can't screw around! This our chance at the big leagues! At fame! Pokemon Mastery!"

"Keep screaming." Allison said threateningly. "And you won't make it to Lumoise, let alone become a Pokemon Master." Topher's Bergmite hmm-ed in agreement. He had been napping like Gothita, and was jolted awake by the commotion.

Gothita, however, was still asleep. How, Topher had no clue.

"Lumoise is close." Topher said. "The idiot's right. We need to train."

Allison groaned once again. "But I'm tired." Topher shook his head, but didn't let her comment worry him. He knew how to handle Allison. "How about a competition?"

That got their attention. Topher shifted uncomfortably."We all catch one Pokemon. We need more anyway. Then we meet at the city gates and have a battle. Winner gets to..." Topher thought about it. A devious grin spread across his face.

"That's an evil look." Dino said.

"I love it." Allison said. "What are the stakes?"

Maybe the answer was simple. His friends made fun things like catching Pokemon _even more fun._

"Winner gets to be team Leader."

* * *

Allison didn't want to be leader.

Sure, everyone expected her to want that. Topher was so quiet and Dino was childish, so they both deferred to her anyway.

Topher and Dino had always called her bossy.

Allison liked their trust in her, but she didn't want that responsibility. If they lost, it was her fault. If they won, she a great hero and was expected to lead them into victory against another team. Each medal they win would weigh on her, until she couldn't walk. Allison didn't want that responsibility. All she'd do is let her friends down.

She'd let them down, the same way she let down Eris...

"Thita?" Gothita said. Allison was violently pulled back to reality.

"Sorry. Got distracted." Allison muttered as she started walking again. _I can't believe I sat there for so long just brooding._ Allison thought. Brooding. _I don't brood_. _That's Topher's specialty, not mine._

 _The others are probably waiting on me_. Allison thought. She hurridly ran towards the direction of Lumoise Gates, searching for Pokemon amoung the dark trees and bushes of Route 14. Their had to be one somewhere-

"Gas!"

Allison screamed out a stream of profanities.

* * *

Valerie looked at Togekiss. "Do you feel that?" she asked.

"Kiss?"

"Somehow, somewhere, Allison has just disappointed us."

* * *

Allison looked up at the big ball of violet smoke that had scared her. Gastly.

Allison brought out her Pokedex , a card-shaped machine with a holographic center, but Gastly grabbed it. (How, Allison wasn't sure. It was literall a ball of smoke. It didn't have hands).

"Hey! Give me that back!" Allison cried. "Feint Attack, Gothita!"

Gothita jumped from Allison's shoulder and sped towards Gastly. Gothita went to hit Gastly, and Gastly dodged, but Gothita feinted to the right and struck. She grabbed the Pokedex and darted back to Allison.

"What now!?" Allison taunted it. Then she realised it was weakened. Allison slowly brought out a Pokeball.

"Hyper Beam!"

Allison only had enough time to grab Gothita and jump out of the way before a beam of light cut through Gastly.

Allison coughed as the cloud of dirt from the attack filled her lungs.

She finished hacking and looked around. The attack had burned a path through the forest, destroying several trees.

Allison stood up and looked around.

Standing there was a man and Pokemon. The Pokemon had blue and red feathers covering it's body, and was bigger than Allison. _Swellow_.

The man looked to be in his mid twenties. He had pink hair, like Nurse Joy, but shades lighter. His eyes were a murky shade of brown.

But his hair and eyes weren't what surprised Allison. What surprised her was his attire. He wore pink robes with a gold leaves patttern and white trimmings. He carried a staff with five pokeballs attached to it.

"Are you alright?" the man asked. "Did that creature hurt you?"

In response, Allison growled.

"Gothita, Psyshock!" she yelled.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Who is this mysterious man? And why did he attack Gastly? Review to find out!**_

 _ **Reader Question Time! What's your favorite normal type? Tell me in your review!**_


	4. Chapter 4: Allison vs Joseph

"Are you alright?" the man asked. "Did that creature hurt you?"

In response, Allison growled.

"Gothita, Psyshock!" she yelled.

Gothita raised her arms and balls of silver energy formed. They shot at Swellow, knocking it back into a tree with such force Allison heard the tree splinter.

"Who are you and why'd you attack Gastly?" Allison asked. "That's a cowardly move, using Hyper Beam on a low level Pokemon. You could of killed Gastly!"

The man frowned. "It attacked you."

"It was _playing_." Allison growled. "Stop trying to justify assault and answer my question before I kick your ass." Allison growled fiercely. "Who. Are. You."

Allison glared at the man, threatening him bodily harm with her eyes. She wasn't going to let him walk away from this with anything less than a broken limb.

"Okay. Let me start over. I am Bishop Joseph of the Passing Time." he anounced.

"Bishop? You?!"

He ignored her. "I am a representative of the Hallowed Church-"

"What?" Allison had no idea what a church had to do with anything. "What does this have to do with you attacking Gastly?"

Joseph groaned. "Look, it's Church protocol to introduce myself and tell miscreants what their transgression was before justice is served. I know it's a pain, but we all have rules to follow."

"Wha-?"

"Now if it were up to me," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I wouldn't be involved in all this attacking business. It would be much easier to just give out pamphlets, maybe go door to door- save the attacking for the true criminals. We aren't a petty villainous team like Plasma or Flare- we should have _standards_." He shrugged. "But I have orders, and you're valuable, as the apprentice of a celeberity. Purifying you would make quite the statement."

Allison had no idea what he meant by "purifying" her, what she did know was that _no one_ was going to force her into _anything_. "I'm valuable? Aw, you're making me blush. You know what would be really sweet? _Backing the fuck off._ That would make my day."

The man snapped his fingers. "How about no."

"Fine. Then tell me what you want." Allison demanded, which she knew was a stupid thing to do when the person on the receiving end of her anger was a psycho who was way more powerful than her. She just didn't care. She had to keep him talking so help could arrive. She didn't have any Pokemon with left with full health except- no, not him. She couldn't use him.

Joseph shrugged. "Not much. Just release your Pokemon." he said it like another person would of said _Could you lend me a dollar? Was he insane?_

Allison crossed her arms. "I thought you weren't with those freaks from Unova."

Joseph smiled back "I'm not." he replied. "But your Pokemon are cursed. You must remove them before they taint your Anima."

"Anima?"

"Your _essence."_ He said. _"_ You must protect your essence at all costs and let no one take it from you."

Definitely insane.

"My mom had this conversation with me already. 'Don't trust any drink given to you by a boy you don't know, always carry pepper spray- "

He faced palmed, which would of been funny if Allison wasn't so pissed."That's your innocence." he said. "Your essence, or Anima, is your soul. Tainted Pokemon will corrupt it."

"There's nothing wrong with my Pokemon!" she argued. Well, maybe there was something wrong with Kirlia... But he was all she had. Allison tried to discretely pull a Pokeball from her bracelet with the same hand it was on, so it was less obvious. "And you're not touching them! So leave before I call the cops!"

Joseph raised his cane and pointed at her, and Allison remembered that his Pokeballs were kept on the cane. "You're out numbered and out ranked. Release your Impure Pokemon and then leave. Or..."

"Or what?'" Allison had it in her hand, but she wanted to wait until he was distracted to throw him out.

"Or you could join us. The Hallowed doctrine states that all sinners are welcome, as longer as they repent."

"Does that mean you get Gastly?" Allison asked.

"And your Gothita." he moved towards her.

"Oh _hell_ no." Allison growled. She forgot her plan. She forgot that her Gothita wasn't at full health. No one threatened Gothita.

"Gothita, Feint Attack!"

Gothita rushed forward and feinted like she was going to jab Swellow on the left, then jabbed right. Swellow fell out of the sky.

"Return!" Joseph yelled. He returned Swellow, then threw a pokeball. "Diggersby, go! Mud shot!"

A ball of glowing mud formed between it's ears and shot at Gothita. Gothita ducked and rushed forward. "Feint attack!"

"Hammer Arm!" Loli feinted to the left, but Diggersby was expecting that. It hit Loli into the air with it's ear.

"Hyper beam!"

Allison screamed as the beam of pure white energy hit Gothita. Allison ran and caught her as she fell.

"Give me the Pokemon so I can finish them." Joseph intoned.

"No..." Allison held Gothita close to her chest and looked at her. She had scratches all over her lavender head, black at the top. Her body was black, with a white zigzag on it's midsection, only now it was covered in scratches and scars. The Pokemon was adorned with bows, two on either side of it's head and one on it's chest. When Allison was ten and she got Gothita, she made a bow that matched her. Now she still wore a bow on all her outfits. Today's bow was on her shoulder.

Gothita had picked it out.

"Miss, if you would just-"

 _"No."_ Allison growled, holding back tears. "You can't have Gothita. And I won't let a psychopath like you touch Gastly." Allison stepped forward defensively. "Gothita is one of my best friends and they're both living creatures. How could you do something like this to them? What religion is worth a life?"

Joseph smiled, and it was like Allison had broken a dam. His composure broke into pieces like a glass shattering on the floor.

Allison was reminded of Topher and Dino when they battled. They had the same look, like ' _This is what I live for_ '. It was a look of absolute _rapture._ Only this look was less _passion_ , and more _obsession._ Allison could tell right then he wasn't completely sane.

In other words, he was sufficiently distracted.

"Kirlia, Hypnosis!" Allison yelled as she released her strongest Pokemon.

A small white Pokemon with what appeared to be green hair and a white skirt appeared.

Diggersby charged, but Kirlia's red horns glowed and sudden it started to float.

Allison made a sound of annoyance.

"That's not what I- You know what, never mind. Whatever works." _At least he attacked who he was supposed to._ Allison thought.

"Ditto!" Joseph cried, throwing out Ditto, who promptly changed into a Kirlia. But she didn't have time to do anything else- attacking people was kinda hard when you had a face full of Diggersby.

Allison, who had ducked for cover, glared at Kirlia. "You could of hit me!" her Kirlia smirked, like it was thinking _Too bad I didn't._

Allison stood up. "Return." she growled. She pointed his Pokeball at him and a beam of red light hit the little annoyance until he disappeared.

"You-" Joseph raised his staff in anger, and Allison darted forward and kicked him in the shin. He fell forward, and she grabbed the staff and darted away.

"Give that back!" he yelled. Joseph moved to charge Allison, but she raised a Pokeball. He froze in his tracks.

"Try me." she warned. "I have plenty of powerful Pokemon besides Kirlia." That was a bluff, but he didn't need to know that. "Now get on the ground."

Joseph started to comply, but then stopped. He turned his wild grey eyes at Allison and smirked.

"I have Powerful Pokemon too. Six of them." He motioned to his staff. Allison glanced at it and saw that there was only three Pokeballs on it.

Three Pokeballs on the staff, two already called out. That's five. Where was his sixth Pokemon-

While Allison wasn't staring at him, Joseph pushed her down.

Allison looked up and saw an Joseph pick a Pokeball up off the ground and let oot a pink and tan Pokemon. _Crap._

" _Finish her."_ Joseph commanded. Allison braced herself.

"Icy Wind!"

In a matter of seconds Joseph and Audino were frozen solid. Allison could see his surprised look in those creepy eyes.

"Guys!" Allison yelled. She hugged her friends.

Topher grinned and Dino hugged her back. "So, this makes me leader right?" he asked in her ear.

Allison pulled back and punched him in the chest.


	5. Chapter 5: Alleos and Arceus

"The Hallowed Church," A hologram of a man named Rowan said. The three of them were sitting in the North Lumoise Pokemon Center after being questioned by the Officer Jenny, listening to a holocast recording from Kalosian History VII. Their Pokemon were sleeping, having been healed by Nurse Joy an hour ago.

"Is a religious group that was thought to be extinct by 17192." It continued. "But over the past two years, new adherents have revived the seemingly dead religion."

"That it?" Allison asked. Topher nodded. "Really? That's so short."

Topher rightened the black beanie atop his pale blue hair, which had got disloged when they were running this afternoon. It was a real testament to how worried Topher had been- he loved that thing, but hadn't fixed it this morning after they ran after Allison. "It's weird." he said. "According to this-" he held up his holocaster, which had an article projected an inch above it for Topher to read. "-the religion was only discovered recently, when some artifacts were unearthed that decribed the church. That was five years ago."

"So what?" Allison asked. "They just saw this obscure religion and, with barely any info on it, and said 'hotdog, why don't I dedicate my life to that!'"

Topher shrugged again. Allison normally thought Topher's perpetual silence was endeearing, but he needed to speak up every once in a while. This was his twelfth shrug this hour.

"Maybe they know something we don't." Allison said.

"Here's something." Topher said. "A Holo-Pamphlet."

He pressed play.

" _The story of Alleos and Arceus."_ a gruff male voice said. " _I am Arch Bishop Pierce of the Pure Snow, and this is the story of the Hallowed Church._

 _"'Millions of Years ago, Their was one man who was so much more than a man. Alleos. He created an egg. That egg hatched into Arceus, the Alpha Pokemon._

 _"'_ _But Arceus was lonely. So Alleos created Pokemon of great power to rule with him. They were of the Types Water, Fire, Flying, Normal, Fighting, Steel, Ground, Rock, Ice, Electric, and Grass. These were the Pure Types._

 _"'_ _But Arceus grew lonelier still. So Arceus created Legendaries of new Types: Dragon, Psychic, Dark, Fairy, Ghost, Bug, and Poison._ _The Impure Types._ _These Pokemon were not created by Alleos, and thus were not touched by his light. They are evil._

 _"'Alleos found out about this_ _betrayal, of course. So he banished_ _Arceus and all the Pokemon to Earth. Alleos then decreed that all who loved him and spurned the Impure Types would be forever welcome back into the realm of Alleos.'_

 _"This is why we must not soil ourselves with Impure Pokemon." The voice said. "Only by respecting our Lord's wishes can we join him after our deaths. That is the mission of The Hallowed Church."_

They all sat in silence for a few minutes.

"That's..." Topher stopped and shook his head.

Allison nodded. "Horrible." she finished. "How can Pokemon be evil? Dangerous, maybe, but evil?"

"Pokemon are only as good as their human partner." Dino said. For once, he looked concerned. "They don't think in terms of good and evil. They just follow their instincts or their Trainer's commands."

"And no one, human or Pokemon, is inherently evil." Topher said. "Choices make the person, not how they were born."

"At least we know why Joseph attacked me." Allison said. "He was trying to "Purify" me."

Dino shuddered.

"What?" Topher asked him.

"Just how many trainers did he 'Purify' before he met Allison?" Dino wondered.

None of them had an answer to that, so they just sat there for awhile.

* * *

Allison hadn't been able to do much sightseeing in the back of a police car.

But now, she could take the time to appreciate how different Lumoise City was from Laverre. It was more modern, but just as quaint, with trees planted in neat intervals along the side walk and cobblestone road. Pokemon and people chatted and browsed little kiosks and shops along the road. It was less peaceful and natural than Laverre.

They bought a strawberry scone and lemonade each as they headed toward Lumoise Gate 4.

"Thv iz oh gud." Dino said through a mouthful of scone. Topher scoffed quietly and Allison chortled.

"Dork." she called him, and lifted her scone and took a bite.

Or she would've, if it hadn't been eaten by a small ball of gas.

"Gastly!" Allison yelled, scaring both her friends and random passerby.

Gastly floated in front of them, the scone in it's mouth. Its swallowed the last bite and leaned into Allison affectionately.

"Is that him?" Dino asked, jumping up and down excitedly.

Allison nodded. When the Police picked them up, she had told them it wasn't hers. That was a mistake, because it was listed as a wild Pokemon in the nurses log, so it was released before she could do anything. Allison had decided not to go after it; she had caused it enough trouble. She had expected it to be traumatized of trainers, or at least of her.

But instead it had followed her. It wasn't scared of her, or hated her.

"Aww, you followed her." Dino drug it's hand through the smoke that made up a majority of it's body. "It likes you, Allie."  
He was right. Gengar was happily flying around her, seemingly content.

It didn't blame her. So why did she blame herself?

"Gastly , why'd you follow me?" Allison asked.

"I think it-" Dino said, but Topher shused hin.

Gastly leaned into her once more. Allison realized that was it's version of a hug.

"Okay, you like me? Why? I got you hurt, and-"

"No you didn't." Dino blurted out.

Allison shook her head. "But I did. Gothita too. 'As a trainer, it's our job to protect Pokemon and People in need. Friend or stranger, that is our creed.'" Allison recited the trainer motto, something the Laverre gym leader had told them constantly. But I-"

"Stood up to Joseph." Topher interupted. "You were standing up to him without Pokemon. Then you used Kirlia, which you know would put you in danger as well. And I saw you standing over Gastly and holding Gothita."

Dino put a hand on her shoulder. "You protected it. That's why Gastly came back. It wants to be with you because you're brave, and it's greatful."

Allison wanted to tell him no, she wasn't brave, or tough, she just acted like it. That they should know that.

But should they? Dino was so nice and naive, Topher quiet and shy. Her Pokemon were so young. The needed her to be brave.

As a trainer, it's our job to protect Pokemon and People in need. Friend or stranger, that is our creed. Her friends needed her to stop blaming herself for everything. She had been doing it ever since Eris had got hurt. But enough was enough.

Allison looked Gastly in the eye. "Okay then. Battle."

* * *

Allison pulled out Gothita's ball. "Gothita, let's do this!"

Allison threw her Pokeball, and Gothita emerged with a graceful twirl. Show-off. Allison thought proudly. "Feint Attack!"

Gothita threw itself forward like a Bullet Seed, and Gastly shot smoke at her in response. Gothita jumped above the smoke upon Allison's command and used Shock Wave on Gastly. Gastly countered with Night Shade, and the two attacks collided with an explosion of dark energy and electricity. From the side lines, Dino cheered.

Gastly shot another Dark Pulse. Gothita rushed forward and dodged the swirling ball of black light, before hitting Gastly with a Feint Attack. Gastly fell back.

"Yeah!" Allison called out to Gastly. "You're doing great, Gastly! But I'm not done. Feint Attack again!" Gothita once again went in for a Feint Attack. But when Gothita's attacked connected, it had no effect. Gastly used Night Shade and hit Gothita across the feild.

"What?" Allison said. It failed? "Gothita, you okay?" she asked her. The Fixation Pokemon stood up shakily, before turning to smile at Allison. Gastly took this as it's chance to use Night Shade.

"Mirror Coat!" Allison called out. A barrier of light appeared before Gothita, and the Night Shade reversed course as it hit the translucent wall. Gastly tried to move, but the attack swerved to follow Gastly like it had a mind of it's own. The attack hit, knocking Gastly back. It fell to the ground.

Allison pulled out a Pokeball and threw it. Gastly disappeared in a flash of red light.

 _C'mon_. Allison pleade as it shook once... Twice... And...

Allison didn't realise she had been holding her breath until she let it out with the final click. Allison and Dino cheered as they all ran to the Pokeball.

Allison held it as if it were the championship trophy for the Alliance Games. She then swooped up Gothita. "We caught it! We caught Gastly!" She sang as she twirled around with Gothita, who seemed to be torn between escaping and smiling.

Topher gave her a small smile that lasted a middle second, before taking out his blue Pokedex. He pressed the holographic center, which caused the two red halves to split and reveal a holographic screen. Topher scanned Gastly's Pokeball. " _Gastly, The Gas Pokemon."_ It said. _"_ _Its body is made of poisonous gas, with a solid core in the center. Despite lacking substance, it can envelop an opponent of any size and cause suffocation. Male, Level 21. Knows the following moves: Night Shade, Clear Smog, Curse, and Spite. Ability: Levitate._ "

 _So that's why Gothita's move failed._ Allison thought. _Gastly must of used Spite when Gothita attacked at the start of the battle._ "'Suffocation?" Dino said. "Cool!"

"I know right?" Allison held the ball tightly. "So badass."

Topher shook his head. "I worry about you two." he looked at Allison. "And it wouldn't of been able to do use Spite on you if you scanned it before hand." _Of course Topher knew about Spite._

Allison was too happy to punch him.

"You guys know what?" Dino asked.

"Huh?" Allison asked.

"Since Allison was the only one to catch a Pokemon, that makes her the Leader!" Dino said. "Congrats!"

Allison looked at him, then Topher. She had thought about what she had been about to say.

"I've thought about it," she said. "And I don't think we need a leader. You guys are my friends. I want to by your partners, not your boss."

Dino put his hands over his mouth. "That's so sweet! Ally..."

"Sounds logical." Topher said.

Allison couldn't help but grin too. "Then it's settled. Team Laverre will have no leader."

"Agreed." Topher said. "And we have our first match tomorrow. I scheduled it while you guys were talking to the police."

"Where?" Dino asked eagerly.

"In Ambrette Town." Topher said. "We can take the Subway to get there."

Dino clapped his hands together excitedly. "Yay! We'll crush them!"

Allison laughed.

* * *

Now Gale really was ready to flip a table.

"He what?" she growled.

Masa giggled. "Joseph got himself caught! By the police!"

Gale rubbed her temples. "How?" she asked.

Masa grinned broadly. "He tried to Purify a few trainers, and bit off more than he could chew. They beat him in a battle."

"They beat Joseph?" Gale asked.

Masa nodded eagerly. "Now can I punish him?"

Gale let out a deep breathe. Why was she surrounded by lunatics? "Do your worst. But that's not all I need of you."

Masa giggled. "You sound angry. I love it. What do you need, Head Priest?"

Gale looked Masa in the eye. "I want those kids. The Church doctrine says that all trainers must be purified. If word gets out that we were defeated by children, we'll never be taken seriously. So I need you to purify them."

Masa clapped her hands together. "This is going to be so much fun! I'll take Volterre and we'll have a blast!"

Gale smiled. "I'm sure you will."

* * *

 _A/N: How will Team Laverre survive the Hallowed Church? And what awaits them in Ambrette Town? Find out next week!_


	6. Chapter 6: Team Ambrette

"Hello Ambrette Town! This is Dino, here to conquer you!" Dino yelled as he stepped off of the train. Ambrette Station was just as crowded as Lumoise Station, though less busy. Several people stopped to stare at Dino, though most ignored him.

Dino felt a sharp pain in the back of his head.

"Knock it off, you idiot!" Allison growled as she stepoed off the train.

Dino rubbed the back of his head. "Ow. You hit really hard, Ally."

"Well, you yell really loud!" Allison shouted.

Topher gave then a look as he exited the train. "Can you not? People are staring."

Allison glowered at him. "Dino started it!"

"No!" Dino complained. "Allison did!"

"Oh, grow up, will you!" Topher snapped at them.

Dino stomped his foot and pouted. "I am grown up!"

Topher just shook his head. "Whatever. We need to find Team Ambrette and challenge them. They said they would be on Amber Beach, where ever that is."

Allison opened her Holocaster. "Here's a map of Ambrette. We go down Man Street and it's a straight shot to Amber Beach."

"Then let's go!" Dino yelled, grabbing his friends hands and yanking them forward. Topher and Allison had to run to keep up.

Once they got outside, Amber yanked Dino back and forced him to stop running.

They walked there instead, giving them ample time to take in Ambrette Town. Dino could definitely see why it was such a popular tourist destination. It was sunny and there was beautiful sand as far as the eye could see, and it almost appeared to Dino that the buildings and roads were out of place. To the left of the path Dino was walking on was clear blue water full of Pokemon, and Dino was itching to jump into it. The only thing stopping him was the fact that he wanted to get to his first battle more.

Finally, they arrived at Amber Beach.

"I'm not dressed for the beach." Allison complained. She really wasn't- today she wore a pink varsity jacket and ripped skinny Jeans and gladiators, topped off with a white bow in her hair.

None of them were, really- Topher wore his black sweater/jeans combo and Dino had on his usual orange poncho and red and yellow jeans.

"We'll live." Topher muttered.

"Well, at least they'll know that I'm fashionable." Allison mused.

"Crisis averted." Topher muttered. Allison elbowed him in the ribs.

"Team Ambrette!" Dino yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth for maximum volume. "Where are you? We need to beat you and win a medal! Team Ambrette!"

"Dino, quiet down!" Topher hissed.

"But we need to find them!" Dino shouted, waving his arms he did that when he was excited. Or scared. Or happy. Or for any reason, really.

"Yes, but they'll be holding up a sign that says "Team Laverre", so there's no need for you to-"

"Look!" Dino interrupted him, pointing to a girl holding up a sign that said "Team Laverre". "It's them!"

Dino started to sprint towards them, and Allison and Topher had to do the same to keep up.

"Hi!" Dino greeted them, waving his arms.

One of the girls made an "eep!" sound and hid behind her Team.

"Don't mind her." The first girl said. She was dark skinned and wore a blue Ace Trainer jacket and a white skirt. Her black hair had red streaks and was in short pigtails. "Luna's just shy."

Luna blushed. "I-I'm sorry." she apologized. She wore jeans and a black tank-top with a red rose pattern. Her hair was pale white and her eyes were bright red and she had cream colored skin.

"Yeah, she's a character." the third girl said. She wore a cyan dress and red ribbon-like scarf. Her hair was bright red like Dino's. "I'm Sissy and that's Areina, be-tee-dubs."

Topher raised an eyebrow. "' be-tee-dubs'?"

"By the way." Areina explained. "B-T-W."

"Oh." Topher muttered.

"Anyway, we're Team Ambrette!" Areina said. "And you three must be Team Laverre?"

Dino nodded eagerly, matching Areina's entgusiasm with his own. "Yeah! I'm Dino, and this is Allison and Topher! Nice to meet you guys!"

The six of them began to talk (minus Luna and Topher, who mostly listened) about themselves.

Areina, Luna, and Sissy worked for the fossil lab in Ambrette, as caretakers for the fossil Pokemon. That was one of the reasons they were chosen to represent Ambrette Town in the Games.

"That is so cool!" Dino exclaimed.

Sissy nodded. She seemed to be just as excitable as Dino. "It is, though. We get to meet so many Pokemon most people don't meet in their entire lives!"

"You guys wanna meet them?" Sissy asked tilting her head. "Before we battle?"

"Actually," Topher said, "We'd rather battle now-"

"Don't be rude, Topher." Allison said, pinching him. "Don't listen to Topher, we'd love to. He's just a spoil sport."

Areina grinned broadly. "Yeah. We'll do that, then we'll kick your butts on the battlefield!"

Topher snorted and crossed his arms indignantly, Dino stood up, and Allison said. "Bring it." If there was one way to get the three of them fired up, it was a challenge like that.

Areina seemed to be just as competitive. "Consider it brought! We're no pushovers."

Sissy giggled. "That's such a silly phrase."

Dino giggled too. "Yeah. People don't fall when pushed over."

"You two are something else." Topher muttered.

Areina and Allison were still trying to intimidate the other.

"You know what?" Areina said. "Why don't we have our battle now! You versus me!"

"You're on!" Allison was almost steaming. Dino loved her passion, but she was starting to scare him.

Luna looked almost pained. "Are they s-serious?"

Sissy giggled again. "Yep! I guess we're fighting now." she puffed up her chest and turned to Dino. In a poor imitation of Areina's voice she said "You're going down!"

Dino laughed and Topher rolled his eyes.

Allison pulled out a pokeball. "Let's go then!"

Areina pulled out one as well. "Let's."

Topher, Dino, and Luna sweatdropped. "Um... Don't we need an elected official for this battle to count? Actually, never mind. Just ignore me."

Topher frowned. "No, you're right. Come on you two. Put your gloves back on. We're headed to the Pokemon Center."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Time for a battle! Who will win? Find out next week!_**

 _ **Ocs by AreinaFuyoko on wattpad, Lunawolf232 on Quotev , and slendie slenders sis on Quotev**_


	7. Chapter 7: Laverre vs Ambrette!

Masa shivered as she walked down the streets of Lumoise City. Her outfit definitely wasn't made for cold weather.

As Masa walked, she had the growing suspicion that she was being followed. _Excellent_ she thought. _Let's have some fun._

"W-who's t-t-there?" She asked the empty alley. "I'm warning you. I have Pokemon and my daddy says they're super tough!" she had to refrain from giggling.

A woman emerged from behind a building. She took out a Pokeball. "I was hoping you'd say that. Hand'em over."

Masa couldn't help it. She giggled. "If you insist." She sent out Eelectrik and commanded it to use Thunder.

The mugger couldn't scream any more by the time Masa was done with her.

And by the time the police found her, Masa was already headed toward Ambrette Town.

* * *

"The battle between Team Ambrette and Team Laverre is about to begin." Nurse Joy said. She was acting as the elected official overseeing the battle, and as the referee.

"G-good l-luck!" Luna squealed to Topher.

Topher blushed and looked down. _Why was she smiling like that?_

"This will be a one on one battle, Alliance rules, no items or substitutions. Challenger has first move." Nurse Joy announced. "Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

Topher through his pokeball. "Carbink, go!"

A gray rock Pokemon with blue gems encrusted on it's body appeared. "Carbink?" it said in confusion.

Topher sweatdropped. "Uh, we're battling now, Carbink."

"Bink." it said. Carbink seemed to understand. It smiled and spun around, evidently excited. Carbink had always loved battling.

Luna gulped nervously. "It l-looks strong!" she squeaked. "Um, go Ninetails! Please!"

She pressed a button on her pokeball and Ninetales appeared on the field. "Tales." it said calmly. It had thick golden fur and nine long tails, each with an orange tip.

Topher brought out his pokedex, and Luna copied him.

 _"Ninetales, The Kitsune Pokemon."_ Topher's Pokedex said. _"It has nine long tails and fur that gleams gold. Ninetales is very smart and very vengeful. Grabbing one of its many tails could result in it attacking ferociously. This Ninetales is female. Level 35. Moves Known: Flamethrower, Inferno, Extrasensory, and Nasty Plot. Ability: Flash Fire."_

 _"Carbink, The Jewel Pokemon,"_ Luna's Pokedex said. " _Born from temperatures and pressures deep underground, it fires beams from the stone in its head. It has slept underground for hundreds of millions of years since its birth. It's occasionally found during the excavation of caves. Carbink are genderless. Level 31. Moves Known: Power Gem, Stone Edge, Sharpen, and Moonblast. Ability: Clear Body."_

 _The Pokedex says that Ninetales has a high Special Defense._ Topher thought. _So I need to use Physical moves. But it also has a high speed. But that shouldn't be a problem; fire type moves are four times weaker when used on Carbink. And one hit from Stone Edge should do the trick._ _But how do I hit her?_

"Are both parties ready?" Nurse Joy asked. They both nodded. "Then... Begin!"

"Stone Edge!" Topher yelled.

"Dodge!" Luna cried.

Ninetales jumped gracefully into the air as columns of stone erupted from the ground where she had been sitting moments before.

"Keep trying!" Topher yelled.

"Dodge, Ninetales!"

Ninetales began to jump from place to place so effortlessly it was almost like floating. Columns of stone erupted everywhere Ninetales landed, but was a second too late to hit.

 _She's so fast..._ Topher thought.

"Extrasensory!" Luna yelled.

"Nine!" Ninetales yelled as her eyes began to glow. A jagged beam of technicolor light shot from in front of Ninetales towards Carbink.

"Use Stone Edge to block it!" Topher commanded.

A jagged column of rock erupted from the ground in front of Ninetales. The attack hit the rock and it exploded.

 _Her aim is perfect._ Topher thought in awe.

Luna glared at him. "Try again, Ninetales. Extrasensory!"

"Dodge!" Topher yelled.

Carbink flew upward as the attack narrowly missed it's mark.

 _What happened to Luna?_ Topher wondered. _She's nothing like the shy girl we met on the beach..._

On the sidelines, Allison asked Areina that very question.

"Luna is very shy and timid." Areina explained. "Except during battle. She hates to let down her Pokemon, you see."

Dino sweatdropped. "She's kind of scary like this..."

Back on the field, Topher had commanded Carbink to use Power Gem. But Ninetales was elegantly dodging each one.

Topher cursed. "Carbink! Moonblast!"

Carbink's gems started to glow and it shot a beam of mystical blue light at Ninetales, who dodged it easily.

"Now, Extrasensory!" Ninetales shot another attack at Carbink.

"Counter it with Moonblast!" Topher told Carbink.

The two attacks collided, creating an explosion. The resulting dust and wind stung Topher's eyes.

Topher couldn't see either Pokemon. "Carbink?" Topher called.

The smoke cleared. Carbink was lying on the ground.

"The battle goes to Luna and Ninetales!" Nurse Joy declared.

Topher ran to Carbink. He picked him up gently.

"You did great..." Topher muttered. He felt like crying. This was Team Laverre's first battle, and he had lost. Topher felt like he had failed his friends.

* * *

Dino took his position on the field, while Topher joined Allison on the sidelines.

Dino waved at Sissy. "Hey! You ready to battle?"

Sissy waved back, then did a cartwheel onto her spot on the field. "I'm ready!"

"This will be a one on one battle, Alliance rules, no items or substitutions. Challenger has first move." Nurse Joy announced. "Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

Dino threw a pokeball. "Numel, let's do this!"

A yellow and green Pokemon with a hump appeared in front of Dino. "Nume..." it snored.

Sissy laughed rancorously. "It's sleeping! How cute!"

Dino smiled at him. "Oops. Return, buddy."

Dino pressed the button on Numel's pokeball and a red beam hit him. He disappeared.

"Go, Magby!" Dino yelled, throwing his partner's pokeball.

Magby took his place on the field. He punched the air eagerly. "Mag-mag!" he declared.

Dino and Sissy laughed. "He's ready to fight!" Sissy observed.

Dino nodded. "And so am I!"

Sissy grinned and pulled out a pokeball. "Go, Kirlia!"

A Kirlia like Allison's appeared. It twirled and winked at Magby.

Magby clutched his heart. "Magby!" he said.

From the sidelines, Topher face-palmed. "We've already lost..." he said, shaking his head.

Back on the field, the battle was starting.

 _"Kirlia, The Emotion Pokemon. The cheerful spirit of its Trainer gives it energy for its psychokinetic power. Kirlia uses the horns on its head to amplify its psychokinetic power. It spins and dances when happy. This Kirlia is Female. Level 29. Moves Known: Psyshock, Double Team, Draining Kiss, and Calm Mind. Ability:_ _Telepathy."_

 _"_ And _..._ Begin!"

"Magby! Clear Smog!" Dino yelled.

Magby took in air, then let out a giant cloud of white smoke that surrounded Kirlia.

Dino grinned. "A poison type move like that is Super Effective on a Fairy Type like Kirlia! And now she can't see!"

Sissy grinned broadly. "Kirlia, Psyshock!"

A beam of pink energy shot from the smoke and hit Magby directly, sending him flying.

"Magby!" Dino cried.

Sissy laughed childishly. "Kirlia can sense emotions. I've taught my Kirlia to aim using this sense. During battle, emotions run high. Your Pokemon shines like a beacon to Kirlia. She never misses."

Dino grinned back. "You and Luna weren't chosen to represent Ambrette Town for nothing. You're both talented trainers. But I'm not losing to anyone! Magby, Thunderpunch!"

Magby got up and rushed at Kirlia. It punched her in the chest with an electrified fist, knocking her across the field.

"Draining Kiss!"

Kirlia kissed her hand and blew, sending a cloud of hearts at Magby, who looked eager.

Dino face-palmed. "I swear to Arceus... Magby, don't just stand there! Dodge!"

But Maby just sat there with hearts in his eyes as the attack struck. Pink energy left Magby's body and went into Kirlia, healing her.

"Magby!" Dino yelled.

Magby stood up shakily.

"Thunder Punch!" Dino yelled.

Magby jumped forward.

"Kirlia, Double Team!"

Kirlia began yo vibrate like a tuning fork. She became several Pokemon. Magby punched one, but it disappeared.

"Calm Mind, then Psyshock!" Sissy yelled.

The multiple Kirlia's all faded but one. She began to glow and then shot an orb of pink energy at Magby.

"Dodge, then Clear Smog!" Dino cried.

Magby jumped up and the attack flew under him. He then sucked in air, then expelled white smoke at Kirlia.

"Now, Flamethrower!" Dino yelled.

Magby shot a column of flames into the smoke. They reacted with the smoke by exploding.

When the dust cleared, Kirlia was on the ground.

"Mag!" Magby cheered.

"We did it! We won!" Dino screamed exuberantly.

"How'd you know the smog was explosive?" Sissy asked.

"I know my Pokemon." Dino said, hugging Magby.

* * *

Allison took her spot on the field, and so did Areina.

Allison grinned at Areina. "I hope you know that we're taking you down."

Areina smirked back. "As if."

 _Oh, she is_ so _going down._ Allison thought.

"This will be a one on one battle, Alliance rules, no items or substitutions. Challenger has first move." Nurse Joy announced. "Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"

Allison threw her pokeball. "Gastly, let's do this!"

Gastly appeared floating above the field in a flash of light. "Gastly! Gas gas!" he said cheerfully. Gastly rushed to Allison and licked her.

"Hey!" Allison said. "Down boy! We have a battle to win. C'mon, get back to your place."

Gastly floated back to the battlefield.

"Nice Pokemon." Areina said. "But I'm not intimidated by such a small fry. Go, Staravia!"

Areina threw a pokeball and a flying Pokemon with black and white plumage appeared.

Allison brought out her Pokedex.

 _"Staravia, The Starling Pokemon. They maintain huge flocks, although fierce scuffles break out between various flocks. It lives in forests and fields. This Staravia is male. Level 33. Moves Known: Wing Attack, Aerial Ace, Double Team, and Quick Attack. Ability: Reckless."_

"Are both participants ready?" Nurse Joy asked. They both nodded. "Then begin!"

Allison didn't hesitate. She never did. "Curse!" Gastly started to glow red and so did Staravia.

But Areina didn't hesitate either. "Stop him!" Areina yelled. "Wing Attack!"

Staravia surged towards Gastly and hit him with her glowing wings.

"Gastly's attack was stopped." Allison said, gritting her teeth.

"Staravia is way faster than most Pokemon." Areina said smugly.

Allison drug her hand through her hair, untangling it as she did. "Smokescreen around you! Make it hard to see!" Her Gastly did so, and Staravia took the oppurtunity to surge forward and use Wing Attack.

"Oh, that was bad." Dino said as Gastly was knocked back out of the smoke cloud.

"There wasn't enough smoke to hide him." Topher noted.

Back on the battlefield, Allison was on the ropes. She had Gastly alternately launch Night Shade and Smog at Staravia, but she was too fast. Staravia darted this way and that, dodging all attacks with ease and grace. With each dodge, it got closer to Gastly.

Areina had the same smug look that Allison usually wore.

 _Not for long._ Allison thought.

"Now, Aerial Ace!" Staravia dodged another attack. She flew through the air and landed on top of Gastly, clawing it.  
Gastly disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Night Shade, Gastly!" The beam of black light hit Staravia directly, and the Starling Pokemon collasped.

Areina just stared at Allison and Gastly, who had just emerged from behind the building.

Allison cleared her throat.

Nurse Joy tore her eyes from Allison. "Uh... The winner is Allison of Team Laverre!"

"That was fast." Dino told her after they both ran to the others. "Even for you. I'm impressed and terrified."

"How?" Areina asked as Allison and Gothita hugged Gastly. "Gastly never used Substitute."

Allison smiled. "Remember when I tried to have Gastly hide behind Smokescreen?"

Sissy gasped. "That's when you used it?"

Allison smirked. "Yep. Substitutes can fight independently from their trainers. So I had you two fight and tire yourselves out while Gastly hid. Gastly did the rest!"

Areina pulled a pouch from her belt. She opened it and pulled out a coin.

"This is yours." She said.

Allison took it with a grin. The coin was brown, with a fossil etched into it.

"We won our first Medal!" Dino yelled. He hugged Allison and Topher.

Allison was so happy, she let him hug her.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Yay, they won! But what is Masa doing? What does she have in store for Team Laverre?_**


	8. Chapter 8: Masa, Joseph, and Volterre

Absol couldn't predict the future.

He could sense danger, but even that had major limitations. He could only sense big disasters and extreme dangers, not small ones. If he could, Absol as a whole would of been banned from Pokemon battles.

Absol couldn't predict the future, but it could sense disaters. He knew when one was on It's way.

Like now.

Absol crawled out of bed next to his friend, Areina. He had to protect her. It was his job to protect her. That's why she kept him out of his pokeball at night, sleeping by her side. So she would be safe.

Absol quietly moved down through the area in the direction he sensed the danger. He left the Pokemon Center and wandered into the empty nighttime streets.

"Wow, aren't you a cutie!" a voice behind him said.

"Absol!" Absol jumped and spun around to face the new threat.

The girl smiled at him. "Aren't you a cutie?" she cooed. "But you're not nice , are you? I bet if I let you go, you'll tell your master. I can't let a naughty boy or girl like you run just around all by yourself."

Absol started backing away carefully.

"Don't be like that!" The girl said.

Absol hesitated, then ran.

Absol heard her call out an attack to the Pokemon, so he used Detect to make her attack miss.

"Come back!" the girl called. "Don't make me hurt you!" Absol kept running. Soon he would be near Areina. Soon-

All of the sudden Absol fell to the ground and writhed in pain.

The girl caught up to him.

"Naughty Absol." the girl cooed. Floating next to her was a flat Pokemon with brown skin. "Don't you know my Stunfisk's Pain Split can fly right past your Detect?" She looked at Stunfisk, who promptly shocked Absol. "And I had to hurt my poor Stunfisk to do it." Stunfisk shocked Absol again. Absol tried not to pass out. _"_ It's all your fault." Another shock. "You desrve this." Another Shock. "You deserve all of this!" she screeched and commanded Stunfisk to administer another volt.

Absol fainted.

* * *

"Flamethrower !"

A tall red and tan feathered pokemon sent a jet of flames at Stufisk. The girl just said "Stunfisk." and it jumped infront of the attack.

"Return, Absol!" Areina yelled. She pressed the button on his Pokeball and a beam or red light hit Absol. He dissappeared.

"How dare you-" Ariena started, but Stunfisk shocked her.

"Areina!" Topher yelled. Topher bent to pick her up. They had been staying in the Pokemon Center when Areina woke up and noticed Absol gone, so they ran ou to look for her. Sissy and Allison were looking in town, while Dino and Luna searched the beaches nearby. Areina and Topher searched another side of town.

Topher helped Areina and Combuskin up. "Who the fuck do you think you are, hurting him?" Areina demanded. "Low Sweep, Combuskin!" Combuskin leaped forward, but Stunfisk just shocked all of them again. They fell to the ground, writhing in pain.

The girl raised her finger and pointed at them. "I'm Arch Bishop Masa of the Thunderclouds, a member of The Hallowed Church." She announced proudly. "Show me respect! I'm not weak like Joseph!"

"But..." Topher said. "You're _twelve_. You can't-"

She shocked him again. Topher screamed and covered his ears.  
"I. Am. To be. Respected." she growled.

"As if." Areina said fiercly. "Fire Punch!"

Combuskin's fist lit on fire and he punched Stunfisk. The second it's fist touched it a volt of electricity went through him.

"Areina, stop!" Topher yelled. He stood in front of her as she returned Combuskin."She wants me, not you. You work for that Joseph guy, don't you?"

Masa laughed loudly. "No. Who actually works for Joey? He's jusr a Bishop."

"So he works for you, then." Topher said. He wanted to grab a Pokeball, but he didn't want her to see. So the only option was to wait for his friends. She couldn't take all of them...

"He's mine." she said. "I had to punish him. Joey couldn't take on three little kids." Topher thought she was being a little hypocritical, but he kept that to himself.

"Punish? You should of promoted him for actually giving a team like us a challenge." Topher boasted. He didn't know where this bravado was coming from, but he didn't care. This girl was with the people who tried to hurt Allison and her Pokemon. He wasn't letting that happen to Areina or anyone else.

"You're not strong. Joey is a dummy and a weak fighter." Masa said. "He couldn't even purify you."

Areina gripped Combuskin's Pokeball tight. "And you can?"

Masa grinned, showing her braces. "Yep. All I have to do is get you to release your Pokemon... Not all of them. Just the bad ones."

Areina tried to rush at her, but Topher put a hand on her shoulder to anchor her.

"A Pokemon is as good or bad as it wants to be! Just like people!" Areina yelled.

Masa giggled. "That's stupid." she giggled. "Bad Pokemon are born bad."

Topher pulled out Bergmite's ball. "No they aren't!" he argued. "A Pokemon only listens to it's trainer or it's instincts. It doesn't know good or evil."

Masa smiled maniacally. "Gale says that Pokemon come in two groups: Pure and Impure. I have to get rid of the Impure ones by any means necessary. Including pain." her smile widened to the point in which it looked painful.

"Force Palm!"

Topher looked up in time to see what he assumed was Areina's Lucario hit Stunfisk. It flew across the room and hit the wall, then fainted.

"Yeah!" Areina yelled.

Masa glared and sent out a scaley yellow Pokemon. Heliosk?

Topher countered with Bergmite and Carbinks. "Icy Smack Down!" Carbinks created rock, and Bergmite used Icy Wind to propell it forward. Heliosk dodged his combo and countered with a Thunder.

"Protect." Topher commanded. A solid barrier of pure energy separated them from Masa and Heliosk.

"No fair!" Masa whined.

"Carbinks, Keep it up!" Topher yelled. He then turned to Areina. "Go now. Hurry, Protect doesn't last for ever."

Areina crossed her arms. "No, Topher. I can't ." She argued. "She's way too strong."

"Exactly." Topher said. "We can't beat her alone. But my Team and your Team will be more than enough. Run and call the others. I'll be fine."

"No-"

"She wants me." Topher explained. My Team beat her Bishop. She wants revenge, and if I leave, she'll follow. But if you leave, she'll give me priority and stay. Besides, I have a Pokemon with protect. You don't."

Areina nodded. Topher knew she would. His plan was logical, and it was there best bet.

Then she did something that surprised him. She hugged him.  
"I know I haven't know you long, but... Be safe." Then she yelled "Let's go, Lucario!" He swept her up in his arms and ran with blinding swiftness.

Behind him, the barrier broke.

Topher turned to face her.  
"Any means necessary." she whispered.

* * *

"Luna!" Dino yelled. But Luna wasn't weak- she sent out Ninetales and used Mirror Coat before the Energy Ball even hit. The move reflected the attack back at the Leafeon. Dino commanded Numel to blow the trainer back with Heatwave.

The trainers had ambushed them as soon as Dino and Luna had got far from the others.

Big mistake. Dino and Luna were making Pokemon Kibble out of them.

Dino just hoped Topher and Allison and the others were alright.

"Get them you idiots!" someone else said. "Masa will have my head if you don't."

Joseph Orwitz walked towards them.

Dino gulped. "Luna, be careful. This guy's dangerous." Dino said, extending his arm to shield her.  
Luna nodded. "Ninetales, Extrasensory!"

"Flame Burst!"

Both Pokemon shot their attacks, a jagged beam of pink energy and a ball of fire, respectively.

Out of nowhere, a furry tan colored Pokemon with long ears erupted from the ground and blocked both attacks with it's ears.

"Lopunny, use Bullet Punch!" Joseph commanded.

Lopunny jumped forward and began to hit both Pokemon with it's ears in rapid fire succession. They all fell back.

In the distance , Dino heard a scream.

"Topher!" Dino yelled.

Luna pushed him behind her. "Go."

"But-"

"Go save Topher. " Luna said bravely. "I've got this."

"No!" Joseph screamed like the idea physically pained him. "Masa wil-"

Lucy commanded Ninetales to use Flamethrower. Lopunny dodged the attack. "Go!"

Dino ran with Numel at his side. Dino stopped when the ground under him shook.

Numel rammed into him, pushing away right as a Diggersby erupted from the earth.

"Earth Power!" Dino yelled. A stream of lava erupted from the earth below Diggersby and sent it flying.

Dino ran, but he almost turned around when he heard Joseph's agonized screams calling him back.

 _What had this Masa girl done to him that made him so scared of her?_ Dino wondered.

* * *

Allison and Sissy could hear the commotion from before they even got a block away.

"We have to go." Sissy said.

"You go back. I'll take keep looking."

"You'll do no such thing." Both girls spun around.

The man was bald. His dark skin was old and worn, and contrasting with his pristine, elegant golden robes. He had a oaken staff with six Pokeballs attached.

"I am Bishop Volterre of the Endless Sands." he intoned lifelessly. "Hand over all your Impure Pokemon."

"You're with Joseph !" Allison accused him.

"The Hallowed Church?" Sissy asked.

"They're a group who attacked me for my Pokemon." Allison said. "He may not look like it, but he's dangerous."

Sissy nodded. Both girls pulled out a Pokeball.

"Gothita!"

"Kirlia!"  
Both Pokemon materialized in a flash of white light.

"Gliscor. Drilbur." Volterre said emotionlessly. "Thunderfang. Slash."

Gliscor, a purple and black pokemon with leathery skin, wings, and a spiked tail, flew at Kirlia, while Drilbur, a dark brown pokemon with claws , rushed at Gothita.

"Feint Attack!" Both girls yelled. Gothita and Kirlia both rushed forward to meet the attack head on, before feinting to the left (Gothita) or right (Kirlia) and slashing at their assailant.

Allison heard Topher scream.

"Just go." Sissy said. "I've got Volterre."

"I cannot allow that." Volterre intoned. Did he have no emotions?

"Fuck off." Allison said. She turned and ran.

But apparently he wasn't all talk.  
Volterre threw a Pokeball in front of her. "Marowak." a small brown pokemon wearing a skull on it's head appeared, blocking her exit. "Bone club."

"Dodge!" Gothita dodged the attack with a graceful twirl. "Play Nice, then Psyshock!"

Loli jumped and hugged Marowak, who flung her off. She twirled in mid air until she was facing Marowak, then shot 3 balls of silver energy at him. He fainted.

"Goth!" Gothita began to glow. Her whole body was soon swathed in light. She began to grow taller and more svelte.  
"Gothorita!"

Allison wished she had time to congratulate her. But instead the two of them ran to save Topher.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Masa has attacked them and her minions have attacked Team Laverre, and Team Ambrette have been dragged into it! What will happen next?**_


	9. Chapter 9: Topher vs Masa

Areina would of died if it weren't for Lucario's speed.

From the sky, a column of Thunder hit the ground where they had been standing half a second ago.

Areina got down and faced the hulking yellow and black Pokemon.

"Lucario, Bone Rush! " Areina yelled.

Electrivire shot another column of Electricity at them. Areina ducked and Lucario jumped and attacked from the air with Bone Rush. Lucario swiped the "bone" (actually a bone shaped baton made of Lucario's aura energy) at Electrivire's head.

"Yeah!" Areina yelled. But Electrivire wasn't done yet.

Above it's head, giant rocks formed. It shot them at the two of them. Lucario pushed Areina out of the way and got covered by the rocks. Lucario cried out in pain.

Areina pulled out two Pokeballs. "Swellow, free Lucario with Razor Wind! Staravia, use Air Slash on Electrivire!"

Both flying Pokemon emerged from their balls and swiftly flew towards their targets. "Star!" Staravia shouted as it cut the bolders into pebbles using a gust of wind sharper than sword blades.

"Lucario!" Lucario jumped out of the vortex effortlessly. He landed next to Areina with minimal injuries.

Meanwhile, Swellow was trying to find an opening, but couldn't with columns of electricity being shot at him every few seconds.

"Help him, Staravia! Razor Wind! Swellow, Air Cutter!" the two pokemon created a vortex of sharp winds and debris that enveloped Electrivire.

"Now, Aura Sphere!" Lucario jumped above the vortex and sent a ball of blue aura into the center of the vortex. It caused a massive explosion that sent up debris and sand everywhere.

When the smoke and sand cleared, Areina saw that Electrivire had fainted.

* * *

"Kirlia, counter with Feint Attack!" Sissy yelled. Kirlia slashed as Excadrill, who dissappeared into the ground.

"Kirlia, sense where it is and use Psychic!" Sissy yelled.

Kirlia's eyes began to glow. Excadrill erupted from the ground and flew into the air.

"Now, Psyshock!" Sissy commanded.

Kirlia shot several balls of silver energy at Excadrill, who destroyed them with a slash of his claws.

"Metal Claw." Volterre intoned.

"Double Team!" Sissy yelled.

Kirlia multiplied into a several Kirlia's. Excadrill slashed at one, and it disappeared.

"Metal Sound."

Excadrill's steel claws began to vibrate like tuning forks. Sissy couldn't hear anything, but every Kirlia covered her ears. The copies disappeared.

"Crush Claw." Volterre said.

Excadrill grabbed Kirlia and began to squeeze her small body in his giant claws.

"Psychic!" Excadrill's claws were forced open by telekinetic energy and Kirlia fell to the ground, gasping for air.

Excadrill stumbled back, and Kirlia took that as her chance to launch a close range Psyshock.

Excadrill went flying.

"Return." Volterre said. He returned Excadrill. He pulled out another pokeball.

Sissy braced herself.

* * *

Ninetales shot a beam of pink energy at Pyroar, who dodged it and shot a column of flames at Ninetales.

Ninetails retaliated with a blue jet of flames, and the two attacks collided in midair and exploded.

"Pyroar, you must prevail!" Joseph screamed. "Masa will not be pleased if we lose!"

 _Who is Masa? Why is he so scared of her?_ Luna thought as she commanded Ninetales to attack again.

* * *

Topher glared at Masa.

"Bergmite, Sharpen, then Icy Wind! Carbink, Smackdown!" Carbink launched a highspeed rock at Stunfisk, who hopped away. Meanwhile, Bergmite was raising his attack power with Sharpen. He launched his attack right after Carbink. It hit Heliolisk who froze instantly.

"Take Down! Tackle!" Both Pokemon rushed at the fallen Pokemon.

"Thunder!" Masa yelled.

The ice exploded of off Heliolisk in a flash of light and electricity from Stunfisk, knocking Bergmite and Carbink into the air.

"Parabolic Charge!" a ring or electricity surrounded Heliolisk . Sparks shot out from it toward Topher and his Pokemon.

"Don't let it hit you." Topher yelled. "If it does, it'll drain your health!"

Carbink and Bergmite jumped to the left and right to dodge the tendrils of electricity that jumped out and tried to grab them. Was it Topher's imagination, or were they giving Carbink a harder time?

"Eerie Impulse!"

A wave of yellow energy hit both Pokemon. _Crap_. Topher thought. That weakened their special attack greatly. So only physical attacks then. But-

"Parabolic Charge!" The attack hit them both, draining their health and giving it to Heliolisk.

Masa laughed. "I'd stop hesitating if I were you." she said, sounding much older than she was. "I watched your battle yesterday, Topher. You would've won... But you lost your head. Your plan fell apart, and so did you. You hesitate and take to long to plan ahead. You need to realize that you can't plan for every contingency. You have to just go with it."

"Why are you telling me this?" Topher demanded. "What angle are you playing ?"

Masa shook her head. "None. I'm helping you. You're not my enemy." She looked him in the eye. "The job of my church is to purify by any means necessary. That means in order to help people, we have to hurt them. We must separate them from bad Pokemon like your Carbink." _So I was right._ Topher thought. Heliosk was aiming at Carbink.

"Your friend's escape would've set us back a lot. No one has escaped a Bishop before you three... Our reputation must stay as spotless as possible if we're to free this world from sin."

"I..." Topher was floored. Masa was a little girl... And yet she sounded so old and so experienced. "This was all because of your reputation?!"

She shook her head. "No. Not just that. I also wanted to know... "  
"Know what?"

"Well... Gale says that Converts to our church are always welcome."

"Converts? Wait, you want me?" Forget earlier, this was really surprising. "But why? I'm not anything special."

Masa shook her head again. "Gale says that no one is. We're all insignificant compared to Arceus and Alleos. That's why we need people like you and your friends. To spread the word. If the pet trainers of one of Kalos 's most popular gym leaders were to defect to us, it would make quite the impression. And Gale wanted to preserve her reputation after Joey's incident, so I took this as an oppurtunity. "

Topher backed up, as did Carbink and Bergmite. "So... You decided to attack us in order to save face and possibly recruit us."

Masa nodded. "So, what do you say?"

"What do I..?"

"What do you say? Would you like to join us? Do you pledge yourself to Alleos and Arceus and The Hallowed Church?" Masa held out her hand.

Topher took it.

"Yay!" Masa exclaimed. "Now you can-"

Topher grabbed Masa and put her in a headlock.

Heliosk and Stunfisk jumped forward, but Bergmite hit Stunfisk with Take Down while Carbink followed that up with a Smackdown that jettisoned Heliolisk into the Stunfisk. Begmite froze them both.

"Icy... Smackdown!" Topher grunted as Masa struggled.

"No! Not my babies!" Masa screamed.

Carbink shot a stone at frozen Heliolisk snd Stunfisk, and Bergmite propelled it with Icy Wind. It hit the block of ice they were in out of the sky before it even started falling.

Masa broke free from Topher and ran to them." You hurt my babies!"

Topher glared at her. "How dare you."

Masa looked up at him. "I..."

"How dare you!" Topher shouted. "You were pergectly willing to let Stunfisk get hurt earlier, in fact you told it to hurt itself. You don't mind separating Pokemon and their trainers. Don't you dare pretend to give a damn now.

Masa wiped her eye. "You're right..." she muttered. "I don't! Manetric! Eelectrik!" she threw two Pokeballs.

"Icy-" Topher started. But the pair was too fast.

Topher writhed in agony as they shocked him. "How dare you, insult me and humiliate me." Masa screeched. Topher could barely hear her over the ringing in his ears. But he could see her just fine. Her composure, her innocent child act, was completely gone. In it's place was the face of just another raving madman.

"You're not joining The Hallowed Church," In the distance, Topher could see his Pokemon fighting off attacks from the two Pokemon. Topher tried to get up, but he couldn't move. "You aren't going to do anything anymore." she brought out an Emolga. "Kill him!" Topher braced himself.

"Ice Beam! Earth Power!"

"Psychic!"

Topher fell asleep. Later, he would be told that Allison's Gothita - no, Gothorita- threw Emolga at Manetrik, then the ground beneath them erupted. Later he would be told that Numel jumped infront of their combined attack, which didn't effect him because he was a ground type, and Gothita used Psychic to hold them in place, while Numel used Earth Power to finish them. Later he would be told that Gastly stole Masa's Pokeball belt so she couldn't summon anything else.

Later he would hear about how they had saved him again.


	10. Chapter 10: Proof

Dino was getting kind of annoyed.

They had taken down the leader of a criminal organization and her croonies. Minor members of The Hallowed Church were being rounded up as they spoke.

You'd think that get them a little recognition? A little praise? Maybe just a pat on the back?

No. What Dino and his friends got was a death glare from Valerie.

"Irresponsible! I can't believe you would-"

"Calm Down. We handled it just fine." Allison said.

Valerie glared at them. _Best not provoke her._ Dino thought.

"This isn't a joke." Valerie said. "The three of you could've died, or-" her voice broke.

"We didn't though." Dino said softly . He put a hand on her shoulder. "So it's okay, Senior. We're okay."

Valerie nodded, wiping a tear. Just then, Topher walked in. It had been two weeks since Masa's attack. Topher had just got out of the hospital, as his injuries were minor, and Dino went to pick him up.

Despite looking like he wanted to sleep until Arceus returned, Dino thought he looked alright.

"Topher!" Valerie ran and hugged the boy, and he groaned. "Ow, ow, oww."

Valerie pulled back. "Sorry! Did I hurt you, my little sprite?"

Topher looked down. "No." he muttered. Dino wondered if he was feeling extra shy, or if the floor was just really interesting.

Allison went up and clapped him on the back, laughing as he gave her an annoyed glower. "So, how's our reigning champ? Feel good knowing you beat someone who ran a group of criminals slightly more aggravating than Door-to-door salesman?"

"You are so annoying." Topher groaned. "And I didn't beat her by myself-"

"Yes yes, we too are awesome. We know." Dino grinned. "But you fought her for the longest and endured her shocks. That's pretty cool."

"But I-"

"Plus you beat two of her Pokemon alone." Allison interrupted. "Whereas we had to do it together."

"But Areina helped-"

Allison shook her head. "So?"

"So? So, I wouldn't of won if not for you guys and Team Ambrette." Topher argued.

"And? You still did well. We all did." Dino countered, grabbing Topher's wrist. "Take pride in that."

Topher looked down again, then pulled away his arm. "Whatever." he said. "That's not important. What is important: what happened to the Hallowed Church?"

"Masa and the others were interrogated, and their base was found." Allison said. "They're officially done."

"So we can leave?" Topher asked.

Valerie frowned. "Why? Are you in a hurry to leave me?"

"That's not it... I just... It's nothing." he rubbed the back of his head.

Valerie put a hand on Topher's shoulder. She was one of the three people he would let do that. "Are you okay?"

Topher nodded. "I'm fine."

Valerie hesitated, and Allison took that as her opportunity to strike. "Excuse me? That's Taurus shit. "She knew Topher was fine- just like she knew that he wouldn't just come out and tell her. When Topher was upset, you had to pull the reason out of him bit by bit.

Or you could use Allison's much simpler method- yank it out of him.

"What's wrong?" she made it clear she wasn't taking no for an answer. Dino almost felt sorry for him.

Topher muttered something. As he did, he grabbed a Pokeball off his belt and rolled it around in his palm. "It's what she said..."

"About what?" Dino asked.

"About Carbink. She called him evil." Topher closed his eyes.

Valerie's eyebrows furrowed, then she nodded. "I can see why that would trouble you, my little sprite."

"I can't." Dino said stubbornly. "Who cares what those depraved cultists say? Any Pokemon raised by you couldn't be anything but good."

Topher coughed nervously. "I guess."

"He's right!" Allison insisted. "Pokemon aren't evil!"

Topher nodded. "I know... But the way Masa said it, it's like she couldn't see Carbink as anything but evil. It bothers me that there's a whole religion that thinks that way."

Dino was shocked. Not only was Topher was talking more than usual, he was sharing how he felt.

 _She must have really scared him._

Dino shook her head. He had to get through to Topher. "Topher, I understand how you feel. But do you honestly think Pokemon can be evil?"

Topher looked up. "Pokemon don't have our same morality system. They think in terms of friend or foe, not good and evil. So no, Pokemon can not be evil. They can be owned by evil people, but they are not evil."

Dino grabbed him and forced the other boy to look at him. "Is that what you believe?"

Topher shook his head . "I don't just believe it. I know it. There is scientific proof of my theory."

"And the Hallowed Church has no proof of what they're saying." Dino said. "So why do you care what they believe?"

Topher smiled. "I don't."

"Good." Dino said. "You shouldn't. Because they can't touch us anymore."

* * *

Gale was going to kill those kids.

But first she had to deal with her subordinates.

Gale rubbed her temples. These buffoons would be the death of her.

First, Joseph slips up. That was hard enough to explain to her followers. But Masa. She just had to lose to those brats. Covering that up was difficult- luckily Masa, Joseph, and Volterre were loyal enough to lie and say Masa was the leader. She didn't want to, but she had to let them go to the police. Gale didn't have to worry about the minor members of the church- they would lie, presuming they valued their lives.

And if they didn't? Well, it wouldn't matter by then. They would be hidden.

And those kids? What to do with them?

Gale knew what. Their was one thing to do with trainers who could beat Masa.

Gale called Arch Bishop Andreas into her office.


	11. Chapter 11: Testing Topher's Patience!

Team Laverre said there goodbyes to Senior Valerie and waved as she flew away on her Togekiss.

"Be safe, my sprites!" She yelled to them as she dissappeared into the horizon. "Don't anger anymore deranged cultists!"

Topher wasn't sure if she was joking.

"Bye Senior!" Dino yelled. "We love you!"

When she was out of sight, Topher turned to his friends. "I scheduled us another match."

Allison rolled her eyes. "Wow. Thanks for consulting us."

Topher shrugged. "It's in Kiloude City, against Team Lumoise." He said. "But there's one problem-"

"If we take the train, we'll be in by this afternoon." Allison interrupted. "And we can kick their asses."

Dino grinned. "Then let's go!"

Topher frowned. "But we can't-"

But Dino was already running away.

"Does he even know where the train is?" Topher wondered.

Allison grinned. "Probably not. First one to catch him gets the window seat!" she took off after him.

 _Damn idiots._ Topher thought as he sprinted to keep up.

He was _so_ going to kill them when he caught up.

* * *

Or not.

By the time Topher had gotten to the train station, Allison and Dino were being escorted out by security.

Topher sweatdropped. "Are you two serious?" he muttered.

A security official dropped Allison and Dino next to Topher.

"Are these two yours?" he asked gruffly.

"Unfortunately." he replied. The man gave them his best glower before walking back inside.

Allison saw the look on Topher's face, and immediately went on the offensive. "It wasn't our faults!"

Topher raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, it might have been," she conceded.

Topher raised the other brow.

"You act like you haven't been kicked out of places before!" Allison defended herself.

"To be fair, it's usually _our fault_ when he gets kicked out of a place." Dino said helpfully.

Topher smirked.

"Oh, stop being smug." Allison snapped. "Do you want to know why we were kicked out?"

Topher shrugged.

"Would it kill you to talk?" Allison grumbled. "Oh, whatever. The reason we were kicked out was because Kiloude-"

"-Is only open to trainers level four and above." Topher said. "And we're level three. I know."

"Oh, now you talk?!" Allison said. "Why didn't you tell us."

Topher grabbed his chin in a mocking way. "Let's think about this... Why would I have not told you? Maybe because you two ran off before I could."

Allison put her hands on her hips. "So what do we do now?"

Dino raised his hand.

"No, we are not breaking onto the train!" Topher snapped.

Dino spit out his tongue. "I know that. We tried already."

Topher sighed. "You're both idiots."

"Am not." Allison said. "You're the one who scheduled a battle in Kiloude knowing we couldn't go-"

"I have a plan, Allison." Topher said.

"Ooh!" Dino clapped. "I love it when you have a plan! What is it?"

Topher smiled slightly. "We're going to take an exam."

* * *

"We're here to take the Pokemon League Aptitude Test." Allison said to the lady behind the counter. The three of them looked up the address of the Pokemon League Center in Cyllage, and headed there.

"Fill out these forms." she said boredly, handing them some papers. "Then head to the back room. I'll need your Trainer Cards and Pokedexes."

They handed her the items, then took the forms. They filled them out.

"Do I have to write my middle name?" Dino whispered.

"Yes." Allison whispered back. "Why are we whispering?"

"Who cares?" Topher said. "Keep doing it."

The three of them filled out the forms and turned them in.

Topher led to the back room. There were several booths that were closed off so no one could see inside them.

"Take a seat in one of those chairs please, then follow the instructions on the screen." the lady said. They complied.

"Good luck!" Dino told his friends.

Topher sat down in a booth. On the table was a small device that resembled Topher's holocaster. Topher picked it up and pressed the on button. A holographic screen popped up.

" _Please enter your Trainer ID Number."_ Topher did. " _Are you Christopher Tempano, Trainer Level Three? If so, please enter your nine digit pass code."_

Topher keyed in the code. The device asked him to choose two Pokemon. He chose Bergmite and Carbink.

The device then had him "fight" trainer's pokemon by choosing an attack to use. It was simple stuff, really, but it took awhile because their were fifty trainers, each harder then the last. Topher very quickly found himself getting bored.

Soon he reached the last fake trainer. The trainer sent out a Barbaracle. Topher sent out Bergmite.

He pictured how the battle would go. It was much more entertaining then this...

"Surf!" the other guy yelled.

"Icy Wind!" Topher yelled.

The two attacks collided, one a wave and the other a flurry of blue wind, and the wind hit the wave and froze it instantly.

"Bar!" Barbaracle yelled.

"Now, use Ice Ball!" Topher yelled to Bergmite.

Bergmite gulped. "Ber?" he shot a ball of ice at Barbaracle.

Barbaracle's hands turned blue. It slashed the ball of ice in half effortlessly. It then jumped foward and slashed at Bergmite. The Pokemon flew into the air and landed in the sand.

Barbaracle raised it's arms and jagged rocks appeared above it.

"Crap." Topher muttered. "Bergmite, Protect!"

Bergmite's eyes began to glow. The rocks flew at him and hit a barrier of pure energy.

"Berg." Bergmite whimpered. Topher gave him a stern look.

Bergmite nodded, indicating he understood.

Topher smiled. "Let's do this! Bergmite, let down the barrier."

Bergmite's eyes began to glow and the barrier disappeared.

"Bar!" Barbaracle charged.

"Icy Wind!"Topher shouted. "Aim at the ground!"

Bergmite shot a gust of cold wind at the ground. The force of the attack launched him into the air above Barbaracle's head just as Barbaracle slashed downward at the spot where Bergmite had been standing.

"Take Down!" Topher yelled. A white aura surrounded Bergmite as he rammed into Barbaracle.

"Bar!" Barbaracle fell back and Bergmite landed in front of Topher. "Berg!" Without hesitation, he shot foward and rammed into Barbaracle again.

Barbaracle turned at the last minute and slashed at Bergmite. Bergmite felt a searing pain go through his body.

Bergmite flew backwards and landed on the ground.

"Bar!" Barbaracle jumped in the air and brought his claws down on Bergmite.

Bergmite blocked the attack with it's horn, like Topher had taught him. Barbaracle pushed on Bergmite, who pushed back.

"Bergmite!" Bermite pushed him back with all his might. The bigger Pokemon fell backwards.

"Brine!" Topher commanded.

Under Barbaracle, a geyser of water erupted and shot him into the air.

"Icy Wind!"

"Bergmite!" Bergmite shot a flurry of wind at Barbaracle, freezing the geyser and the Pokemon.

Bergmite jumped forward and rammed into Barbaracle, knocking it out of the ice.

Barbaracle collapsed.

* * *

"How'd your test go?" Allison asked him. "I didn't lose once!"

Topher shrugged, and Dino clapped his hands together. "Same! I even finished before Allison!"

Allison scowled. "Because I took my time to make sure I did my best. Unlike you, Dino."

"Ally, you've never taken your time in your life." Dino said.

The woman walked in the room and handed them back their Pokedexes and Trainer Cards. "Congratulations." she said in a voice that was not congratulatory at all. "You are now level four trainers."

Dino hugged Topher and Allison, who both. protested.

"We're now level four!" he cried.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Sorry for a short filler chapter. I just couldn't think of anything else to write?_**


	12. Chapter 12: Topher Meets Zubat!

Kiloude City. Full of lush trees and next to the ocean, it was a popular spot for competing trainers. Which made sense, considering it housed the Friend Safari, a spot full of Pokemon from around the world.

Separated into eighteen sections, each corresponding to a Pokemon type, it was especially popular with Type specialists like Allison and Dino.

Topher loved the place the second he stepped off the train. Unlike the hustle and bustle of Lumoise and Kiloude, _it was quiet._ In that aspect, it reminded Topher of Laverre.

"Oi! Kiloude City! Get ready to be dominated by Team Laverre!" Dino yelled.

Well, it was quiet.

Allison smacked him on the side of the head. "Idiot! Stop fooling around!"

Dino rubbed the back of his head. "Ow! You could have just asked me to stop."

"Would you have stopped?" Allison asked.

"No."

Topher sighed. "Anyway, Team Geosenge will be here tomorrow. We need to train before our battle."

"And what better way to train then the Friend Safari!" Dino said. "We can catch totally rare Pokemon!"

Topher gave him an amused look. "That's not a bad idea..." he said. "We need more Pokemon anyway..."

Allison grinned. "Aw yeah! This is gonna be awesome."

Topher looked at them both, and couldn't help but share their excitement. "Then let's go." he said.

They kept walking, stopping to pet Pokemon and buy food to eat as they walked.

Finally, they arrived at the entrance to the Safari. The sign in the window it said "closed".

"Of course it's closed." Topher said. "It's Sunday. I should have thought of that."

Allison frowned. "What do we do now?" she asked.

"Says here the Safari Center is open." Dino said, looking at the sign on the door. "We can visit that."

"What's the Safari Center?" Allison asked.

Topher pulled out a holo-pamphlet he had grabbed on the way there and opened it. He fast-forwarded through most of it until a hologram of a building appeared above it.

" _The Friend Safari also includes the Safari Center, which acts as the city's Pokemon and houses sick and injured Pokemon from around the park."_ it said.

Topher closed it. "Sounds boring." Allison said. "What would we even do? Stare at sick Pokemon?"

Dino shrugged. "I agree. Plus, it'll be really sad. All those poor injured Pokemon..."

"We can get our Pokemon healed there." Topher said. "So we might as well go."

So they left the building and headed down the street to the Safari Center.

They entered. Inside, the building resembled a normal Pokemon Center, with booths for the trainers to sit while they waited for their Pokemon and a help desk. There was even a Nurse Joy behind the counter.

"Good morning!" she beamed. "Welcome to the Safari Center. We restore your tired Pokémon to full health. Would you like us to heal your Pokémon?"

Topher, Allison, and Dino bowed. "Yes ma'am." they chorused. They handed her their trainer cards an pokeballs.

"Oh, What polite children!" she exclaimed. She handed their Pokemon to a fluffy pink pokemon with long ears. "Wigglytuff, take their Pokemon to the heal center."

Topher stiffled a laugh. _Polite_ wasn't a word usually applied to them. They had just been taught to respect Nurse Joys by Senior Valerie.

Nurse Joy smiled at them. "Before you three go sit down, can I ask you a question?" They nodded. "Can you help me with an errand?"

Topher narrowed his eyes. "What kind of errand?"

Nurse Joy smiled again. "You're right to be wary of strangers, but I promise this is simple. A few days ago a trainer turned in a Pokemon in need of medical attention. But we can't figure out what's wrong with her. So I was going to send her to Professor Sycamore in Lumoise City, so he could examine her, but the Pokemon Teleporter is down. Can you take the train to Lumoise and deliver it?"

Dino nodded. "We have nothing better to do. " he said. "And it'll only take a few minutes. We'll go as soon as our pokemon are healed!"

* * *

They took the train to Lumoise, which placed them a few miles from Professor Sycamore's lab. They took a cab to get there.

To Topher the building looked more like a mansion. It was at least two stories bigger than Topher's house!

Allison knocked on the door determinedly.

It opened a few minutes later, and they were greeted by a man with messy dark blue hair and a lab coat.

" _Salut!"_ He said. "You three must be the trainers Joy sent, Allison, Topher, and Dino."

"We are." Allison said. "And you're the famous Professor Sycamore?"

" _Oui!"_ he exclaimed. "Please, come in!"

He ushered them inside and led them to the back room, which resembled a lab.

"Please bring out the Pokemon." Professor Sycamore said.

Topher nodded. He pulled out a pokeball and pressed the button.

Out of the ball came a flash of light that took shape into a blue Pokemon with leathery wings and fangs. It took off out of the room.

Dino lunged for it, but the Pokemon dodged the attempt effortlessly.

"I got it!" Allison yelled. She jumped and tried to grab it by the wing, but it flew higher, out of her reach.

The Pokemon flew towards the door, but Topher closed it and the Pokemon collided with the door with a _smack._ It fell to the ground.

Topher bent over and picked it up. "It's fine, besides a slight bruise on it's head that's already healing. And the fact that it can't talk."

"It can't what?" Allison exclaimed.

"This Zubat can't talk." Professor Sycamore said, taking the unconscious Pokemon from Topher. "How did you know?"

Topher shrugged. "It wasn't talking or making sounds, like most Pokemon do when they're scared. It also didn't use any attacks, and most of a young Zubat's attacks are sound based."

"Very good." Sycamore said. Topher shrugged again. "Now, let's take a look at Zubat." Sycamore' started to look in Zubat's mouth, then at it's throat. He then looked at x-rays that Topher didn't remember him taking (Nurse Joy probably sent them over).

Finally, he turned to Topher and his friends. "There doesn't seem to be anything physically wrong with her. So maybe her disability is trauma based."

"What do you mean?" Allison asked.

"He means that Zubat suffered some sort of abuse or something similar, and her inability to talk is psychological." Topher said.

Sycamore nodded. "Exactly! Good job, _mes amie._ Now this presents a problem. How do we help Zubat if she can't tell us about what happened to her?"

"We have to try something!" Dino said. "That poor baby..."

"We can teach it new moves, to replace it's old ones." Topher said. "That way it has less of a handicap."

"Great idea!" Sycamore exclaimed.

"You're on a roll today, Topher." Allison said with a grin. "But we can't teach moves in here, and we can't take Zubat outside or it'll run away. What do we do?"

"There's an indoor arena in the backyard, in the greenhouse." Sycamore said. "Follow me."

He led them out the back door to the backyard, still carrying Zubat. They entered a wide greenhouse full of plants and Pokemon.

Sycamore led them to a battlefield. He laid Zubat down and pulled out a pray bottle. He sprayed Zubat with the Full Restore and she woke slowly.

"No one move." Dino muttered. "We don't want to scare her."

But the second Zubat awoke she shot into the sky and jetted away from them.

"We have to catch her!" Dino cried, but Topher put a hand on his shoulder.

"No." he said

"Huh?" Dino looked at him.

"It won't help." Topher said. "Sometimes people just need to be left alone."

"But we can talk to her-"

"Which won't help any if Zubat isn't ready to talk." Topher said. "Just leave her be."

Sycamore frowned. "I believe he's right. We can't help her if she doesn't want to help herself."

Topher clenched his fists. "It's not that." He insisted. "Talking is hard. She probably wants to, but it's too difficult."

Allison looked at him. "Topher... Are you okay?"

Topher shook his head. "I'm fine." he said quietly. He felt cold and exposed, like they could see right through him to the secrets inside.

But that was ridiculous. No one, not even his friends, knew his secret.

* * *

After about an hour of waiting, they decided to look for Zubat. Topher predicted that she would be somewhere dark, since that most resembled her natural habitat.

They found her in the shed, cowering in the corner.

"Now can I talk to her?" Dino asked Topher. He didn't sound malicious ; just trusting.

"No." Sycamore said. "Topher should."

Topher looked at him in shock. "But I-"

"Please." Sycamore said. "I think that you might have a shot at helping her."

Topher looked at him again. He was smiling.

Topher approached Zubat, who tried to curl up.

"I-it's okay." Topher said, then winced. How many times had someone told him that it was okay, when and he had been annoyed? This is why he let Dino and Allison talk for him. They were better at it.

Topher sat down next to Zubat and tried to appear non-threatening. But Zubat still shook.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Topher said. "I just want to see if you want to talk."

Zubat shut her eyes in fear.

Topher stood up. "Okay." he said. He got up and returned Zubat to her pokeball, then approached Sycamore and his friends.

"You didn't do anything!" Dino said.

Topher closed his eyes. "And I'm not going to. Not until Zubat wants to talk about it. I'm not going to push her. That would be counter-productive."

Sycamore nodded. "Yes. That's very smart of you Topher. That's why I want you to do something for me."

"What is it, Professor?" Allison asked.

"I know a very talented Pokemon researcher who specializes in Pokemon therapy." he said. "He lives in Cyprus City. Could you take her there?"

"Of course." Dino said determinedly.

"Thank you." Sycamore said. "I would teleport her, but I'm not sure how someone as fragile as Zubat would react to the teleporter. It doesn't hurt, but some Pokemon find it unpleasant and I wouldn't want to set off Zubat."

Topher nodded. He understood what he was saying, but something seemed off. Topher suspected Professor Sycamore had an ulterior motive.

"Well! Now that that's settled, why don't I treat you three to dinner?" Sycamore said. "Lumoise has some of the finest restraunts in Kalos!"

"we'd love to, but we have training to do." Allison said. "Maybe next time?"

"Very well." Sycamore said. "I'll hold you to that."

They left then, and headed on the train back to Kiloude to prepare for their battle.

* * *

 _ **A/N: What is Topher hiding? What happened to Zubat? And will they win their battle? Find out next week!**_


	13. Chapter 13: Rotation

Topher, Dino, and Allison faced the morning in three different ways.

Allison woke up early and was never groggy, no matter where the sun was positioned in the sky.

Topher woke up whenever, and hated the world for being there when he did.

Dino woke up later than everyone else but was fully awake and inexcusably loud when he did.

That's how they woke up that morning, before going to meet up with Team Geosenge.

"So, this is it?" Allison asked Topher as they approached the building.

He nodded. "This is the address." Topher looked at the sign above the glass door. It read "AJ's Battlegrounds".

"'AJ's Battlegrounds'?" Dino smiled broadly. "I've heard of this place. It's a training facility or something."

Topher nodded again. He already had his Holocaster out and was on the facility's Poképedia page.

"'AJ's Battlegrounds is one of the best training gyms in the country for Pokemon training,'" Topher read, "'Offering a wide selection of unique battle styles, such as Rotation Battles, Launcher Battles, Battle Simulations, and many more.'"

Dino grabbbed Topher's arm. "Heck yeah! This is gonna be awesome!"

Allison looked at the sign and scowled. "Hmm. I've heard of this place before. It cost a fortune just to get in. I hope whoever's challenging us is also paying."

"Payment isn't a problem."

They turned around. Standing behind them were three boys.

"You three better be worth it." the same voice said. It's voice belonged to a boy with messy black hair that covered his eyes and the tops of his ears, which was parted to one side. His bangs were dyed red. He wore a white shirt with a small black wolf on the right chest, and a dark blue jacket on top of it, with white fur around the collar and at the cuffs of its sleeves. It was zipped up to three-fourths of the way to the top. His jeans were dark blue and his shoes were black and red. He wore black finger-less gloves.

The second boy rolled his eyes. "Stop being a dick, Fang." he said. He had a brown crew cut and was athletically built. "Sorry about him. He's lucky he's cute, cause he has no social skills. I'm Shane, by the way."

Fang sent him a glare. "Call me cute again. I dare you."

The third boy looked nervous. "I'm so sorry for my friends! Shane's a flirt and Fang is asocial- or anti-social- not sure which one is right, or even if they're both words- I'm not good with words- except spelling them- I was in the spelling bee at school- wow, I sound lame, don't I? Sorry. Oh! I'm Seiya! I was named after my dad, my name means-" he stopped to take a breathe, and Allison took that as her cue to stem the word trainwreck.

"Nice to meet you guys!" Allison said. "I'm Allison. This is Topher and Dino. I take it you three are Team Geosenge?"

"Yep!" Shane said. "And you three are Team Laverre, right? Tell me, is everyone in Laverre as cute as you?" he winked at Allison and pulled her close.

"Bad idea..." Allison heard Topher mutter.

Allison blushed and hid her face behind her hair, then pulled away. "W-who, me?" she stuttered. "I'm nothing special. In fact, let me tell you a secret about girls from Laverre."

He leaned forward. Allison grinned and pulled him forward, then turned him around and pinned his arm behind him.

"We don't like boys touching us without permission." she whispered in his ear.

"Hey! Let him go!" Seiya shouted, but Fang grinned.

"It's okay." Shane grunted as Seiya moved forward to help him. "I-I like a girl who can beat me up."

Allison grinned and let him go. "And I like a boy who knows his place." she said, her smirk widening.

Dino sweatdropped. "Is she flirting?"

Topher just shrugged.

"So, can we go in now?" Fang said. "I wanna see if these three are strong enough to give us a good time."

Dino balled his fists and put one in front of his face. "Oh, we are! I hope you've prepared a good eulogy, because we're burying you three six feet under!"

Topher sighed, and Allison pinched Dino. "The deceased don't write eulogies, they're dead. Idiot."

"Anyway," Shane said. "Let's go battle." He led them inside.

The room was a reception area, with a woman behind a desk. She smiled in greeting. "Mr. Yama! You're here for you're noon appointment?"

Seiya nodded. "Yes! This is my appointment- I mean of course it is - it's my reservation- I'm sorry- I'm such a dunce- like, there was this one time I-"

"Let's go." Fang said, grabbing Seiya and dragging him through a set of doors. Allison and the others followed him.

"This is the rotation room." Shane said. The room was a battlefield, but it had two metal cylinders where the trainers would stand.

"The six of us are doing rotation battles." Shane said.

"Rotation battles?" Dino asked.

"They're a Unovan thing." Topher said. He pulled out his Holocaster and keyed something in. It said:

" _A Rotation Battle is a type of Pokemon Battle featuring three Pokémon per Trainer, with one Pokémon from each side battling at a time. A Rotation Battle is similar to a Triple Battle, but only one Pokémon can attack at a time, and Pokemon can be switched out at any time by rotating their pokeball to the front of the podium. Pokemon may only switch out when not being attacked_. _The first Team to have a Pokemon rendered unconscious loses_."

"Nice." Allison said. "So the three of us can battle at once. Should be fun."

"So, head to your podium, release your first Pokemon, then put the pokeballs of the three Pokemon fighting in the three holes." Seiya said. "It's easy!"

Relieved that Seiya hadn't rambled on too long, Allison and her friends made their way to the podium.

"We should bring out pokemon with different types, so we can cover the most type advantages." Allison said. "Our Pokemon should be complementary stat wise too. So one with one high stat, two with different high stats. That way our team is balanced."

"So Bergmite or Carbink can be our defense." Dino said.

"Carbink has dual types, so it would have more possibilities of having a type advantage over whatever Pokemon they throw out." Allison said. "And his high Defense will cover any Type vunerability he has."

"Then Numel can be our Special Attack." Dino said. "And Gothita can be our speed."

Topher frowned. He had stayed silent this entire time (shocker!), but cleared his throat now.

"I think we should use Pokemon with high Defense, Special Defense, Speed, and Health." Topher said.

"Why?" Allison asked.

"Because the object is to only knock out one Pokemon." Topher said. "So we need our Pokemon to be hard to knock out. Which means having high endurance and being hard to hit."

"But then our team won't having any hard hitters, so we'll have a hard time knocking others out." Allison said.

Topher shrugged. "Not if we're patient, and wear them down with our attacks."

Allison groaned. It was so like Topher to undermine her plan. "But the longer the battle takes, the better chance they have to knock our Pokemon out. We should just go with my plan."

Topher scowled. "You're plan is good, but mine is better."

"As if." Allison said. "My plan will work!"

"You just don't want to admit someone has corrected you." Topher snapped.

Allison considered punching him. "Are you calling ke a know-it-all?"

"No, I'm calling you stubborn." Topher said angrily.

Dino sighed. "Guys! Stop arguing! We need to work together to win."

Allison crossed her arms. "We're going with my plan."

"Fine." Topher said. "I don't care."

Allison glared at him. He _so_ cared, but now he was going to just sit there and pout the whole battle.

"You guys ready?" Shane called.

"Yeah!" Allison called back. She snatched Carbink's pokeball from Topher, then put it on the podium, along with Gothita's pokeball. Dino put Numel's pokeball down too.

Allison turned to Shane and the others.

An electronic voice said:

" _"The battle between Team Ambrette and Team Laverre is about to begin. This will be a one on one battle, Alliance rules, no items or substitutions. Challenger has first move. Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"_

* * *

 _ **A/N: Time for the battle to start! The members of Team Geosenge were created by:**_

 ** _Martyn on Fanfiction . net (Seiya)_**

 ** _Kuromaster on Fanfiction . net (Fang)_**

 ** _Stormlocke on Wattpad (Shane)_**

 ** _Thanks for the characters, guys!_**


	14. Chapter 14: Laverre vs Geosenge

"Gothorita!" Allison yelled. "You're up!"

Allison rotated Gothorita's pokeball to the front and it opened, releasing Gothorita.

"Goth!" she cried.

"Furret!" Seiya cried.

Furret appeared. Dino brought out his Pokedex as Allison commanded Gothorita to strike with a Feint Attack.

" _Furret, the Long Body Pokemon. The mother puts its offspring to sleep by curling up around them. It corners foes with speed. It makes a nest to suit its long and skinny body. The nest is impossible for other Pokémon to enter. Furret has a very slim build. When under attack, it can slickly squirm through narrow spaces and get away. In spite of its short limbs, this Pokémon is very nimble and fleet. This Furret is Female. Level 35. Moves Known: Slash, Baton Pass, Focus Energy, and Hone Claws. Ability: Frisk."_

Gothorita surged forward and Furret scurried out of the way.

"Focus Energy!" Seiya yelled.

"Stop her! Psyshock!" Allison commanded.

Gothorita shot a ball of silver energy at a glowing Furret, who swiftly dodged it.

"Keep dodging and using Focus Energy!" Seiya said.

Topher tapped Allison. "I think I know what they're trying to do-"

Allison ignored him and told Gothorita to use Feint Attack again.

"Baton Pass!" Seiya yelled. The podium rotated by itself and Furret disappeared right as Gothorita struck. A Mienshao appeared and kicked Gothorita across the field.

Gothorita fell in a graceless arc.

"Gothorita, are you okay?" Allison called. The battle was over as soon as one Pokemon fainted...

Dino moved forward and rotated the podium. Carbink appeared.

"Dino!" Allison pushed him away.

"Gothorita was still awake, barely." Dino explained. "So I switched her out-"

"I was about to do that!" Allison snapped.

"Carbink, counter with Power Gem!" Topher yelled.

Allison looked back at the field in time to see Mienshao attack with a Hi Jump Kick, but get knocked out of the sky with a barrage of colorful gemstones.

"Mienshao, Calm Mind!" Shane yelled.

Mienshao clapped it's hands together and closed it's eyes. It began to glow.

"Power Gem again!" Allison yelled.

"Force Palm!" Shane cried.

"Mien!" Mienshao put up it's palm and the gems bounced off of it harmlessly.

"How?" Allison yelled. "It's attack would have to be crazy high to block that move..."

"If you would listen to me, I could tell you what's going on!" Topher said.

"Protect!" Allison yelled. Carbink put up a shield, buying them a few minutes. Allison turned to Topher. "What is it?"

"They're using Baton Pass!" Topher explained quickly. "It passes on stat changes to the Pokemon who is switched into battle. So all of the attack and accuracy stat raises that Furret got from Hone Claws were passed on to Mienshao. And Mienshao is using Meditate now. I bet it plans to pass on it's stat raises, along with Furret's, to the next Pokemon."

Allison nearly broke the podium, slamming her fist into it. How could she have been so stupid? She let the other team out smart her.

Allison looked at Topher and Dino. Topher _had_ tried to tell her. And then Dino saved her Gothorita. And all she had done was ignored them.

Allison suddenly felt like digging a hole and burying herself six feet under. "Guys... I'm so stupid. You two should be giving commands, not me."

Dino glared at her. "No, Allison. We don't want to lead. We want to work together."

Topher nodded, and Allison felt the anger drain out of her. "I'm sorry. I was just mad that Topher disagreed with my plan, so I tried to show you guys that my plan was better by doing it alone. But we're a team. This isn't a competition between us. It's against them."

Dino smiled. "We should be working together, the way Team Geosenge is. Building each other up."

Suddenly, the barrier disappeared.

"Now you're done for!" Fang yelled. He rotated the podium.

Mienshao was sucked back into it's pokeball. A black and blue Pokemon with gleaming gold eyes appered. It barred it's fangs at Carbink.

Allison sprang into action immediately. "Topher, command Carbink! Dino, scan Luxray. I'll man the podium."

Both boys nodded and did as they were told.

Luxray jumped forward and tried tp chomp Carbink with Electrified fangs, but Topher commanded Carbink to use Dazzling Gleam, which was a bright flash of light that blinded Luxray and caused him to stop mid attack and howl.

At the same time, Dino scanned Luxray with his Pokedex.

 _"Luxray, the Gleam Eyes Pokemon. When its eyes gleam gold, it can spot hiding prey-even those taking shelter behind a wall. Luxray's ability to see through objects comes in handy when it's scouting for danger. This Luxray is Male. Level 38. Moves Known: Wild Charge, Thunder Fang, Charge, and Howl. Ability: Rivalry."_

"Allison, switch to Numel! Dino, tell him to use Sandstorm! Then switch back to Carbink!" Topher told her. Allison rotated the podium to Numel.

"Numel, Sandstorm!" Dino commanded.

A cyclone of sand appeared around Luxray, who cried out in surprise.

Allison rotated the podium. Carbink appeared again.

"Power Gem!" Topher yelled.

The gems shot into the cyclone, pelting Luxray.

Seiya tried rotating the podium, but it did nothing.

"You can't switch out a Pokemon trapped in a vortex!" Allison called.

The vortex stopped, and Luxray fell to the ground.

" _The win goes to Team Laverre!"_ the automated voice rang out.

They returned their Pokemon and met in the center of the field.

"That was impressive." Fang said quietly. "Your power is remarkable."

Seiya grinned. "You guys did great! I can't believe you figured out our strategy- not saying you're dumb or anything- of course you're not, I mean the way you combined attacks was really clever- and I thought we were gonna win-"

Shane cut him off with "ahem". "Anyway," Shane said. "Congratulations. Here's the Team Geosenge medal."

Shane put the medal in Allison's palm.

Allison handed it to Topher, who slipped it into their Medal pouch.

Dino hugged his friends. "We won our second Medal!" Dino cheered.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ ** _Reader Question Time! So we have two choices. I can make chapter 42 of my story Pokemon Prodigies take place at the same time at the same time as this chapter, thus putting the main characters of both stories in one place at once for a crossover. Or I could do as originally planned and make chapter 1 of one story correspond to chapter 1 of the other, and so on and so forth. What do you, the readers, think? Should the two stories crossover, or is it too soon?_**


	15. Chapter 15: Brawl At The Pokemon Center!

Dino wasn't the kind of person to sit still for long. Even on the train ride back to Ambrette Town, something that logically required him to sit down, he still found ways to be active, such as going to the bathroom several times and challenging Allison to an arm wrestling match (which ended rather quickly, and not in Dino's favor). But Dino was still incredibly bored and hyper.

He just wished something exciting would happen.

"Dino, if you do not stop singing I swear I will make it so you can only sing soprano." Allison snapped as Dino launched into the second verse of a raunchy pop song.

Dino stopped and spit out his tongue. "Jokes on you, I don't know that song!"

Topher took out one earbud and looked up from his book. "Dino, soprano isn't a song... It has to do with vocal range. Soprano is-"

But Dino wasn't listening to Topher's boring and probably overcomplicated explanation. He had just noticed that the train had stopped.

"We're here!" Dino cried, running to get out of his compartment. But he felt himself jerked back by the collar of his shirt.

"Wait for us!" Allison yelled, holding him in place. Dino wanted to pull away, but he didn't want to rip his shirt. It was expensive...

Wait...

Dino slouched to show complacency.

"Good." Allison said. " 'bout time you learned to calm down-"

Then, in one fluid movement, Dino slipped out of his shirt then ducked out of the compartment.

"Dino!" Allison and Topher called.

"Catch me if you can!" Dino shouted back as he ran, pushing people out of the way.

Dino could see their faces in his head; Allison would be furious, and Topher would roll his eyes the way Dino loved-

"Ahh!"

Dino fell to the ground. Had he run into something?

Dino rubbed his head and looked up. Dino had run into a person, who hadn't even noticed. He was busy holding up a sign and shouting.

In fact, there was a whole crowd of people.

Dino stood up and tapped the man on his shoulder. "Excuse me? Sir?"

The man turned and glared at him. "Yes?"

"What are you doing?" Dino asked. "Is this some kind of party?"

The man's glare turned into a full on smile, one that matched Dino's in intensity.

"I'm so glad you asked!" He said jovially. "I'm protesting!"

"Protesting?"

The man nodded. "Don't you see where we are?"

Dino looked around. The crowd was outside a large building with a red Pokéball symbol where the sign would be.

"You're protesting... Outside a Pokémon Center?"

"Exactly!"

"Did it do something wrong?" Dino asked.

"Yes!" The man exclaimed. "Something very bad was brought into the building, and the Nurse Joy didn't get rid of it."

Dino recognized that voice. It was one every adult had in their arsenal. The talking-to-children voice. Dino heard it a lot- people assumed he was stupid and young due to his height and hyper nature.

"What was it?" Dino asked.

"Have you heard of the Pokémon Absol?" The man asked.

Dino felt sick all of the sudden. "Yes?"

"It was one of those Pokémon." The man said with a glint in his eye. "An Impure Pokémon. For years we have been trying to get Pokémon Centers to stop taking in demons, but we put up with it. But now an Absol has been taken in. Absol, the Pokémon that brings disasters and chaos. We can not let this stand! Absol is the pinnacle of everything we stand against! It is evil, vile, repugnant-"

Dino wasn't sure what happened next. One second he was listening to the man, then the next the man was lying on the ground, holding his gut. Dino's fists were balled.

"You-" Dino choked out. "You-"

"Dino!"

Dino turned around. Allison and Topher were running to him.

"Did you just punch that man-" Allison asked, but Dino didn't have a chance to respond. The crowd had stopped and was looking at him.

"They're with the Hallowed Church!" Dino said, backing up to his friends. He reached for a Pokeball.

Allison was faster. She pulked out a pokeball and pressed the button. "Gastly, Smokescreen!"

Gastly appeared right as the crowd started to move toward them and blew a giant cloud of black smoke around them. Dino felt Allison grab his arm. He let her pull him, and the three of them ran.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Okay so the chapter is kinda short, but I really wanted to post SOMETHING. Sorry about being gone so long. School got hectic._**

 ** _I promise I'll have the next chapter up by Monday!_**


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